sleep-out I. \ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷\noun (-s) Etymology:sleep out 1.Australia: a place for sleeping outdoors; especially: sleeping porch 2.: an outing on which the participants sleep outdoors II. adjective Etymology:sleep out : that sleeps at home rather than at the place of employment < the sleep-out cooks and maids were coming to work — New Yorker >