Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Sleep; the state or condition of being asleep.
- noun The state or condition of numbness of a part due to pressure on a nerve: as, the obdormition of a limb.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun obsolete Sleep.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun The
sensation ofnumbness that occurs in alimb when it "falls asleep" due topressure on anerve .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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People who are not accustomed to the position, should be careful when trying to sit seiza, as the position can reduce blood circulation in the lower limbs, resulting in pain and eventually obdormition, or the limbs "going to sleep."
reesetee commented on the word obdormition
Damn foot is asleep again!
February 23, 2007
oroboros commented on the word obdormition
That ole pins 'n needles feeling!
May 5, 2008
sionnach commented on the word obdormition
A related word is paresthesia, though the two do not appear to be synonymous. The definition for paresthesia involves "a skin sensation, such as burning, prickling, itching, or tingling", but goes on to specify either "usually associated with peripheral nerve damage" or "with no apparent physical cause", neither of which really fits for pins and needles.
The German term for pins and needles is "Ameisenlaufen", or "running ants", which suggests the English word formication, a phenomenon which appears to be usually drug-related and has nothing to do with making whoopee on the kitchen counter.
December 13, 2008
hernesheir commented on the word obdormition
An obs. meaning of the word was simply "to fall asleep", from L. obdormire "to fall asleep". Now that English has a way to convey that meaning in 2 or 3 words (go to sleep, fall asleep, drift off, drop off, etc.), that single tetrasllyabic word has been relegated to a more specific meaning: numbness or "going to sleep" of a limb, etc.
December 31, 2008
qms commented on the word obdormition
A hallowed Thanksgiving tradition
Is post-turkey football attrition.
In tryptophan daze
The menfolk will gaze
Till they nod into deep obdormition.
November 27, 2014