‘I Have Not Slept One Wink’ Saying Origin & Meaning

Meaning of “I have not slept one wink”

The idiom “I have not slept one wink” means that someone has not slept at all. It is often used to describe someone who is tired or exhausted. The phrase “wink” is used to refer to a very small amount of sleep, so to say that someone has not slept one wink means that they have not slept even a little bit.

Origin of “I have not slept one wink”

“I have not slept one wink” is thought to have originated in the 16th century, and is first recorded in Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew. In the play, the character Petruchio says to his wife Katherina: “I have not slept one wink.” It also appears in Macbeth where Lady Macbeth says, “I have not slept one wink.” after the murder of King Duncan, and it suggests that she is haunted by her guilt.

Other examples of the idiom “I have not slept one wink” in literature:

• “I have not slept one wink since I heard the news.” – Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
• “I have not slept one wink all night, worrying about you.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
• “I have not slept one wink since I saw her.” – Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

I have not slept one wink

Using “I have not slept one wink”

The idiom “I have not slept one wink” can be used in a variety of contexts. For example, someone might say this if they had a bad night’s sleep, or if they were up all night working on a project. It can also be used to express sympathy for someone who is tired, such as if they have been working long hours or if they are sick.

Here are some other examples of how the idiom can be used:

• “I’m so tired, I haven’t slept one wink all week.”
• “The baby kept me up all night, so I didn’t sleep one wink.”
• “I was so excited about my vacation, I didn’t sleep one wink the night before.”