<P> To take forty winks is to take a nap for a short period of time (usually not in bed), or to take a short sleep during the day . Related idiomatic sayings such as could not sleep a wink provide the mental picture of a wink being the shortest type of sleep available and "forty winks" therefore gives an indication of an appropriate short sleep . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Look up forty winks in Wiktionary, the free dictionary . </Td> </Tr> </Table>

Where did the saying forty winks come from