English Reference

Phrasal verb

kip down

Definition

phrasal verb. to sleep — an informal British way to say you're going to bed.

phrasal verb. to sleep; informal British slang, typically used in colloquial speech; the particle 'down' is inseparable.

Examples

“I'm going to kip down now.”

“After the long day, he decided to kip down early.”

“The weary traveler, having missed the last train, resolved to kip down in the corner of the station.”

Examples

simple

“I'm going to kip down now.”

contextual

“After the long day, he decided to kip down early.”

complex

“The weary traveler, having missed the last train, resolved to kip down in the corner of the station.”

Usage

informal British English — avoid in formal contexts.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'get some sleep' (more general) and 'take a nap' (shorter rest); useful for teaching regional variation in sleep-related verbs.

Phrasal verb

Particles

down

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

kip + down

Synonyms

Antonyms

stay upwake up

Grammar

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Updated

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