English Explanatory Dictionary

forty winks

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A short sleep, especially when taken during the day; a nap.

Pronunciation

/ˌfɔːti ˈwɪŋks/ /ˌfɔɹti ˈwɪŋks/ [-ɾi-] LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-forty winks.wav En-au-forty winks.ogg

Word forms

forty winks

Etymology

From forty + winks, possibly referring to a nap supposedly lasting as long as it takes a person to wink (i.e., blink) forty times.

Synonyms

shut-eye twenty winks cark doss rest sleep
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