yodan verb with 'ru' ending (archaic), intransitive verb
lie down languidly; flop down
Archaic intransitive verb. Describes sprawling or flopping down in a relaxed, lazy manner. Related to modern 寝そべる, which is the usual word today.
See also: 寝そべる
古語では「そべる」はだらりと横になることを表した。
In classical Japanese, そべる meant to lie down in a languid way.
「寝そべる」の語源として「そべる」が残っている。
そべる remains as the etymological root of 寝そべる.