sleep (redirected from sleeping tight)

someone's beauty sleep (humorous)

the sleep that someone needs in order to feel healthy and look attractive. If you don't mind, I'm going to bed now. I have to get my beauty sleep.

See also: beauty

could do something in their sleep

if someone could do something in their sleep, they can do it very easily, usually because they have done it so often. I've done the same recipe so many times I could do it in my sleep now.

See also: could

let sleeping dogs lie

to not talk about things which have caused problems in the past, or to not try to change a situation because you might cause problems. His parents never referred to the shoplifting incident again. I suppose they thought it best to let sleeping dogs lie. It wasn't that we didn't want to improve the school - it was more a case of letting sleeping dogs lie.

See also: dog, let, lie

not lose sleep over something

to not worry about something. I don't intend to lose any sleep over this problem.

See also: lose, over

not sleep a wink

to not sleep at all. I was so excited last night - I didn't sleep a wink. I didn't get a wink of sleep on the plane.

See also: wink

sleep like a log/top

to sleep very well. I don't know if it had anything to do with the wine we drank but I slept like a log.

See also: like, log, top

sleep on it

to not make an immediate decision about a plan or idea, but to wait until the next day in order to have more time to think about it. You don't have to give me your decision now. Sleep on it, and let me know tomorrow.

sleeping partner (British, American & Australian)

someone who is closely involved with a company, and often provides money for it, but is not a manager of it. He was an extremely wealthy man, and she was hoping he might become a sleeping partner in their new vineyards.

See also: partner

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go to sleep

1. to start sleeping. There was too much noise for me to go to sleep.

2. to lose all feeling in a hand or leg after being in one position for too long. Sometimes my hand goes to sleep if I rest my head on it.

lose sleep (over someone/something)

to be worried and unable to relax because of something. An asteroid could hit the earth, but it's not something you should lose sleep over.

See also: lose

not sleep a wink

to not sleep at all. I was so excited about our trip that I didn't sleep a wink last night.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the forms not get a wink of sleep or not have a wink of sleep: Poor Henry didn't get a wink of sleep on the plane.

See also: wink

put someone to sleep

1. to bore someone very much. I tried reading one of her novels, but it just put me to sleep. All those technical discussions put everyone to sleep.

2. to help someone sleep. The sound of the crickets puts me to sleep every night.

put something to sleep

to kill an animal medically. Mitzie is an old, sick cat, and I think we may have to put her to sleep.

sleep around

to have sex with a lot of different people. Just because I'm an actor doesn't mean I sleep around.

See also: around

sleep like a log

to sleep very well. With a full stomach and a warm blanket, I slept like a log.

See also: like, log

sleep something off

to sleep until something stops having an effect on you. She slept off the effects of the medicine.

Usage notes: often used in the form sleep it off: He's got a terrible headache and probably needs to sleep it off.

sleep on it

to wait before making an important decision. Don't give me an answer now — sleep on it and we can talk some more later in the week.

sleep over

to stay the night in someone else's home. If you don't want to drive home this late at night, you're welcome to sleep over.

stay over

See also: over

sleep with someone

to have sex with someone. He was sleeping with his secretary. Her husband and her sister were sleeping together, so no wonder she left him!