Sleep on it — sounds a little funny, right?
Literally, it sounds as if you are going to put something in your bed and then sleep on top of it.
But it also means to take some time to think before making a decision, perhaps even overnight - going to bed and having a sleep to give you more time to think so that you don’t rush into deciding anything.
The phrase has been around for a long time. The first recorded use was in 1519, by King Henry VIII of England. He said he would “sleep and dream on the matter” before making an important decision. Even back then, people knew that a good night’s sleep could help you think more clearly!
We still use ‘to sleep on it’ quite a lot.
When someone asks you to choose something right away and you don’t want to you can say:
- I’m not sure. I’ll sleep on it and tell you tomorrow.
Or at work:
- My manager wants an answer today, but I think I’ll sleep on it first.
In everyday situations, for example when deciding about a trip:.
- I’m not sure if I want to go hiking this weekend. Let me sleep on it.
You can also use it when giving advice:
- Don’t rush your choice — sleep on it and see how you feel in the morning.
Explore the entire series Words we use by clicking here to listen!
This episode is available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Credits:
Host: Shannon Williams
Written by: Josipa Kosanovic
Graphic design: Dorry Wang
Educational consultant: Professor Lynda Yates
Produced by: Josipa Kosanovic
