combining form of L. somnus, used in words based on L. ambulāre to walk; the oldest of these in English use are somnambulation, somnambulism and somnambulist. (For variant, and in some cases earlier, terms see NOCT-.) Somnambulance, sleep-walking, somnambulism. Somnambulant a., walking in sleep, somnambulic; sb., a somnambulist. Somnambular a., of or pertaining to sleep-walking; also erron., connected with, of the nature of, sleep. Somnambulary a., = prec. Somnambulate v. intr., to walk during sleep; trans., to walk along (a place) while asleep; hence somnambulating ppl. a. Somnambulation [mod.L. somnambulatio], the action or fact of walking in sleep. Somnambulator, = next. Somnambule [a. F. somnambule (1690), Sp. and Pg. somn-, Sp. sonámbulo, mod.L. somnambulus, -ambulo], a somnambulist. Somnambulency, sleep-walking, or a fit of this; also fig. Somnambulic a., of the nature of, pertaining to, etc., somnambulism; walking during sleep; hence Somnambulically adv. Somnambulism [F. somnambulisme, Sp. -ismo, mod.L. somnambulismus], the fact or habit of walking about and performing other actions while asleep; sleep-walking. Somnambulist, one who walks, etc., while asleep; also attrib. Somnambulistic a., somnambulic; hence Somnambulistically adv. Somnambulize v. intr., to walk in sleep; trans., to imagine during sleep-walking; also, to put into a sleep-walking state. Somnambulous a., somnambulic (Dunglison, 1873).
1885. Science, VI. 78. Committees were appointed on … hypnotism, clairvoyance, and *somnambulance.
1905. Daily News, 21 Jan., 6. His old habit or infirmity of somnambulance came back to him.
1843. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett. & Mem. (1883), I. 231. Four such nights might have made a *somnambulant of a much stronger woman than me.
1866. Blackmore, Cradock Nowell, xlix. He was listless, passive, somnolent,—somnambulant.
1887. Sat. Rev., 15 Jan., 80. To walk in her sleep, and to poison herself while in a somnambulant condition.
1830. Lytton, Paul Clifford, xvi. (1874), 193. The pair … mounted the stairs, arm-in-arm, in search of *somnambular accommodations.
1860. Mrs. Browning, Napoleon III. in Italy, v. While the palpitating peaks break out Ecstatic from somnambular repose.
1862. Lytton, Str. Story, 14. An ardent believer of the reality of somnambular clairvoyance.
1827. Sutherland, Tales Pilgr., 369. I had become a sleep-walker; but whither my *somnambulary adventures had conducted me, was a riddle I had yet to solve.
1833. Carlyle, Misc. (1872), V. 127. This inarticulate age which slumbers and *somnambulates. Ibid. (1840), Diamond Necklace, xiv. His Eminence again somnambulates the Promenade de la Rose.
1873. M. Collins, Squire Silchester, II. xiv. 178. The latter, sometimes overeating themselves, somnambulate.
1876. A. M. Fairbairn, in Contemp. Rev., June, 126. A *somnambulating philosophy.
1794–6. E. Darwin, Zoon. (1801), I. 325. Though in its greatest degree it has been called *somnambulation or sleep-walking, it is totally different from that sleep.
1803. Beddoes, Hygëia, IX. 130. The lady, whose reverie or somnambulation is described.
1862. G. Macdonald, D. Elginbrod, III. xvii. The next day she had a bad head-ache. This with her always followed somnambulation.
1822. Prichard, Dis. Nervous Syst., I. 404. Hoffmann cites the case of a *somnambulator, which [etc.].
1837. J. F. Cooper, Europe, II. 288. A woman, who was subject to the magnetic influence, or who was what is commonly called a *somnambule.
1850. J. Braid, Observ. Trance, 30. The same discretion ought also to be extended to the modes of testing somnambules.
1877. Symonds, Renaiss. It., iii. 147. Walking … like a somnambule sustained by an internal dream.
1829. I. Taylor, Enthus., i. (1850), 10. The enthusiast passes through life in a sort of happy *somnambulency.
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., XVIII. iii. (1872), VII. 138. For nations have their somnambulencies.
1841. C. Mackay, Pop. Delusions, III. 366. The patient was thrown into the *somnambulic state.
1862. G. Macdonald, D. Elginbrod, II. xxxi. A reproduction of some previous somnambulic experience.
1880. A. H. Huth, Life & Writ. Buckle, I. 34. He … woke the landlady whose somnambulic figure … had just frightened him.
1887. Sat. Rev., 11 June, 848/2. When he wakes, he finds that he has *somnambulically made a pen-and-ink sketch of the island.
1797. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), XVII. 534/2. Subject to that singular affection or disease called *Somnambulism or sleep-walking.
1820. Shelley, Witch Atl., lxxv. The soldiers … Walked out of quarters in somnambulism.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 93. In somnambulism … the secondary consciousness takes control of the whole individual.
1794. Mary Wollstonecr., Hist. View Fr. Rev., I. 275. It was dangerous to awaken a *somnambulist on the brink of a precipice.
1837. Barham, Ingol. Leg., Ser. I. Spectre of Tappington (1905), 23. Never again was Lieutenant Seaforth known to act the part of a somnambulist.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., I. 308. A revolution had been effected in Europe by a somnambulist peasant girl.
1887. Encycl. Brit., XXII. 158/1. Somnambulists have been observed to write letters or reports,… and play upon musical instruments.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop (1867), 304. A *somnambulistic leave-taking and walking in her sleep.
1845. E. Warburton, Crescent & Cross, I. 216. A black little naked urchin sits on the splinter-bar, continually goading his somnambulistic team.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 167. Very rarely the patient may be also somnambulistic.
1845. E. Warburton, Crescent & Cross, II. 289. The slaves glided about silently and *somnambulistically, or stood with folded arms watching for a sign.
a. 1893. Symonds, in H. F. Brown, Life (1895), I. 71. I did not doubt that my spirit could somnambulistically travel from the place.
1832. Figaro in London, 3 March, 52/1. When he *somnambulizes upon the stage.
c. 1850. Whittier, Tales & Sk., Mag. & Witch Folk, Prose Wks. 1889, I. 400. A ‘wise woman’ dreamed, or somnambulized, that a large sum of money … lay buried in the centre of the great swamp.
