To drowse or doze in a light way; to be in a state of light sleep or drowsiness.
From Middle English 'adrowse,' combining 'a-' (prefix indicating a state or condition) + 'drowse' (to sleep lightly). The word maintains Old English and Germanic roots related to sleep and lethargy.
This charming old word captures that specific feeling of being half-asleep during class—not fully asleep but definitely not awake—which is why it fell out of use when we just started saying 'dozing off.'
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