twenty winks

Questions

What does twenty winks mean?

A very short sleep.

Where does twenty winks come from?

Modeled after forty winks, from the humorous notion that if a short nap is forty winks then a very short nap is twenty winks (half that amount).

How to pronounce twenty winks

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “twenty winks”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “twenty winks”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “twenty winks” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.