Frequently Asked Questions
Word Origins
What is the origin of the phrase 'sleep tight'?
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It seems that tight in this expression is the equivalent of the only surviving use of the adverb tightly meaning 'soundly, properly, well, effectively'. The full Oxford English Dictionary labels the adverb 'now dialectal' and the adjective 'colloquial'. The phrase Good night, sleep tight is a conventional (rhyming) formula used when parting for the night or at bedtime.
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