[scratt]

I have never heard that term.. But there is a period after a URL goes out of it's registration period that it cannot be registered again. That is to protect someone from snapping up your tasty URL just because you were a day or two late renewing it. Perhaps that is it.. As I said I have not heard the phrase 'put to sleep' before, but it would fit that description. Have you googled 'put to sleep'?