nod off / doze off / drop off — fall asleep accidentally (Murphy Unit 141)
Pattern
Section titled “Pattern”nod off = fall asleep unintentionally (head nodding as you sleep).
- I nodded off during the lecture. (fell asleep accidentally)
- She nodded off in front of the TV.
The falling-asleep family
Section titled “The falling-asleep family”| Phrasal | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| nod off | fall asleep (head drops) | I nodded off in the meeting. |
| doze off | fall lightly asleep | She dozed off on the sofa. |
| drop off | fall asleep (gradual) | He dropped off in front of the TV. |
All three mean fall asleep unintentionally — often embarrassing when it happens in public (meetings, lectures, films).
Don’t confuse with other “off” phrasals
Section titled “Don’t confuse with other “off” phrasals”| Phrasal | Meaning |
|---|---|
| nod off | fall asleep |
| go off | alarm sounds / food spoils |
| put off | postpone / discourage |
| tell off | scold |
| get off | disembark |
Test application
Section titled “Test application”I nodded off. = ___
Answer: I fell asleep — nodding the head = the visual sign of falling asleep. NOT “I agreed” (nodding in agreement = 頷く, different word) or “I felt sick.”
Japanese note: English “nod off” = fall asleep (頭がコクッとする). Japanese 頷く (うなずく) = nod in agreement — different from 居眠り (いねむり, dozing). Don’t confuse the two “nod” meanings.
Source
Section titled “Source”Raymond Murphy, English Grammar in Use (4th ed.), Unit 141 — Phrasal verbs on/off 2. Ebot lesson 2026-08-29: “I nodded off” → fell asleep.