tablets make you feel 'dozy/drowsy'

[tigerduck]

Hello

In the following exercise, the task is to underline the most appropriate word. The key says that drowsy is the solution. Can somebody tell me the difference between drowsy and dozy?

Here the sentence I'm referring to and which in my original post forgot to add:

These tablets may make you feel dazed/dozy/drowsy so don't drive.

Thank you.

 

[mjscott]

I can see your dilemma if using WR dictionary. To me, drowsy is sleepy, but still conscious. Dozy means that every now and again I am dozing into the unconsciousness of sleep.

 

[Matching Mole]

Please give the context. We cannot say whether a word is appropriate or not unless you give the context, i.e. the sentence in which it is to appear.

In BE "dozy" tends to mean stupid or "not alert". In fact I don't recall hearing it used to mean drowsy in BE. I would bear that in mind if using it for a British audience!

 

[sorry66]

Some people in England use dozy to mean stupid - not the case with drowsy. Colloquial usage?
During a tv programme I might doze off i.e. fall asleep for small intervals.
Generally I would say drowsy if I felt sleepy. I usually doze on a Sunday morning.
Perhaps you could give us the sentence in your exercise.

 

[tigerduck]

I am so sorry! I completely forgot to add the sentence I'm referring to. I will change that in my original post immediately.

 

[Matching Mole]

Some people in England use dozy to mean stupid - not the case with drowsy. Colloquial usage?

Yes it's colloquial, or informal as the OED now instructs us to call it . I think it may have a regional bias within the UK, too. It was very common in in Yorkshire, tending to go with a rude epithet, for example: "You dozy bugger!".

Nevertheless, the OED gives "feeling drowsy and lazy" as the principal definition.

Thanks for adding the sentence, Tigerduck. Drowsy would definitely be the choice for a warning on drugs packaging, "dozy" (even in the drowsy sense) would be too informal. Also, drowsy is the word that those warnings always use!

 

[tigerduck]

Thank you very much for your discussion.

Your answers were very helpful.

 

[baby blue]

Indeed they were!!!

I have the exact same excercise, and the exact same doubt!!!
God!!
I love this forum, this page, I love you all!!!

 

[Copyright]

If it helps at all (even though the question seems to have been answered completely), drowsy is the word you most commonly see on prescription labels, along with heavy machinery.