Where did the expression 40 winks come from?

The first use of this expression dates back to 1821, when Dr. William Kitchiner, an optician and telescope inventor used it in his self help guide, The art of invigorating and prolonging life – “A forty winks nap in a horizontal posture, is the best preparative for any extraordinary exertion of either.”

What does the expression 40 winks mean?

Definition of forty winks

: a short sleep : nap.

Where did the name 40 winks come from?

His name was a household word during the 19th century, and his Cook's Oracle was a bestseller in England and America. The phrase forty winks, meaning a short nap, can be traced back to Dr. Kitchiner's 1821 self-help guide, The Art of Invigorating and Prolonging Life.

How long is 40 winks sleep?

How long is 40 winks? According to Wikipedia a blink lasts for 300-400 milliseconds; if we surmise that a one-eyed wink lasts the same amount of time as a two-eyed blink, the duration of a “40 winks” nap would only be about 12-16 seconds.

What is a wink in 40 winks?

The expression forty winks denotes a short sleep, especially during the day. Here, the noun wink means a closing of the eyes for sleep. This sense has survived in the phrases not to sleep, or get, a wink, and not to get a wink of sleep, which both mean not to sleep at all.

What does catch 40 winks mean?

What is a formal word for forty winks?

Find another word for forty-winks. In this page you can discover 16 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for forty-winks, like: rack-time, some Zs, catnap, nap, crash, siesta, sack time, short sleep, snooze, spot of sleep and wink.

What does I haven't slept a wink mean?

: to not sleep at all I didn't sleep a wink last night.

How do you use 40 winks in a sentence?

What does catch a few winks mean?

sleep lightly or for a short period of time. type of: catch some Z's, kip, log Z's, sleep, slumber.

Where does the saying fly off the handle come from?

“Fly off the Handle” is an American phrase that alludes to the way that an axe head can fly off its handle if it becomes loose. The expression was first seen in print in 1834, in Thomas C. Haliburton's The Attaché; or, Sam Slick in England: “He flies right off the handle for nothing.” Go beyond correction.

What does hitting the sack mean?

(also hit the hay) infml to go to bed in order to sleep: I've got a busy day tomorrow, so I think I'll hit the sack.

What does get on all fours mean?

on all fours, in conformity with; corresponding exactly with. (of a person) on the hands and feet, or the hands and knees: I had to go on all fours to squeeze through the low opening.

Why do they say scott free?

IN MACBETH you may recall the line "We have Scotched the snake, not killed it" - which means that the snake is scratched, or injured. So the original expression "Scotch Free" meant uninjured or even unmarked; it very quickly became Scot-Free because of colloquial speech.

Where did cut the mustard come from?

The first recorded use of the phrase is by O Henry in 1907, in a story called The Heart of the West: “I looked around and found a proposition that exactly cut the mustard”. The modern sense of the idiom is “to succeed; to have the ability to do something; to come up to expectations”.

Where did screw the pooch originate?

Screw the pooch was popularized by the 1979 book-turned-movie, The Right Stuff, by Tom Wolfe. Based on the Mercury Seven space program of the 1960s, the book and the film both depict characters repeatedly using screw the pooch–an effort to use actual NASA jargon and slang of the day.

What does raw life mean?

Life in its natural, unembellished state. Most tourists opt to stay in cushy hotels and eat at nice restaurants, missing out on the chance to experience a city's life in the raw. See also: life, raw.

What is the definition of fifty fifty?

Definition of fifty-fifty

1 : shared, assumed, or borne equally a fifty-fifty proposition. 2 : half favorable and half unfavorable a fifty-fifty chance.

What is meant by catnap?

: a very short light nap.

What is the meaning of the idiom best of both worlds?

Definition of the best of both worlds

: all the advantages of two different situations and none of the disadvantages I have the best of both worlds—a wonderful family and a great job.

How do you use elbow grease in a sentence?

Elbow grease sentence example

Easy bargain decorating is within reach with a little creative thinking and elbow grease . If using machines isn't your style, then fixing scratched video games with some elbow grease might be the way to go.

How do you use break a leg in a sentence?

The idiom 'Break a leg' is usually used in theater to wish good luck to actors before they go up on stage. Example of use: “Danny's family told him to “break a leg” right before he went up on stage.”

What does it mean send him packing?

to ask someone to leave immediately: There were some kids at the door asking for money but I sent them packing.

What does fat chance mean?

Very little or no possibility, as in A fact chance he has of coming in first, or You think they'll get married? Fat chance! A related expression is a fat lot, meaning “very little or none at all,” as in A fat lot of good it will do her.

Was wide awake meaning?

watchful, vigilant, wide-awake, alert mean being on the lookout especially for danger or opportunity.

Why do we say Bob's your uncle?

In 1887, British Prime Minister Robert Gascoyne-Cecil appointed his nephew Arthur James Balfour as Minister for Ireland. The phrase 'Bob's your uncle' was coined when Arthur referred to the Prime Minister as 'Uncle Bob'. Apparently, it's very simple to become a minister when Bob's your uncle!