bunk down

IPA/bˈʌŋk dˈaʊn/
IPA/bˈʌŋk dˈaʊn/

bunk down — phrasal verb

  • bunk downbase form
  • bunks down3rd person singular
  • bunking down-ing form
  • bunked downpast simple

1. to go to sleep somewhere, especially in a place that is not your usual bed — suc

1.phrasal verbB1
Definition

to go to sleep somewhere, especially in a place that is not your usual bed — such as a friend's sofa, a floor, a tent, or a spare room for one or a few nights.

Example

Jisoo bunked down on the sofa after the party ended.

bunk down on [furniture/place]

The children bunked down in sleeping bags on the living-room floor.

bunk down in [sleeping equipment]

Common collocations
  • bunk down on the sofa
  • bunk down in a sleeping bag
  • bunk down at a motel
  • bunk down on the floor
Synonyms
  • crash

    more informal than bunk down; often implies sleeping at someone else's place unexpectedly

  • kip

    British informal; can mean either a short sleep or sleeping somewhere temporarily

  • bed down

    slightly more formal; often used for animals or people sleeping in a rough or outdoor setting

Grammar Patterns

bunk down + adverb/preposition phrase

Usage Note

Commonly followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with on, in, or at to specify where the sleeping happens. The subject is usually a person or group of people.

Common Mistakes

I bunked down in my own bed last night.
I bunked down on a friend's sofa after the party.
'bunk down' usually suggests a temporary or makeshift sleeping place rather than one's own regular bed.

Etymology

ScottishEnglish

The noun 'bunk' originally meant a narrow bed or sleeping berth on a ship, and dates back to the mid-1700s from Scottish origins. The phrasal verb 'bunk down' developed later as an informal way to say 'settle in for sleep', often in a temporary or rough spot.