what is fortywinks? why particular forty is being selected ? what about the other numbers?

Answer 1

The use of "forty" as a round (indefinite) number for a significant period of time is familiar in English from biblical uses, especially in "forty days (and nights)" and "forty years".

This may have some special significance in the biblical expressions, but the person who coined the phrase "(catch) forty winks" (first attested in print in 1828) probably was just appealing to the general idea. Since the numbers is used for SIGNIFICANT lengths of time, the point may well have been an ironic contrast with "winks" (very brief naps/snatches of sleep), as if referring to a significant amount of sleep.

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As for the origin of the biblical expressions -- a fair guess is that 40 YEARS came first, as a round figure for "a generation", that is, the time someone takes to grow to their prime,** and/or the time it takes for the shift from one generation of people to another to substantially take place. (Elsewhere the number 70 is used for a "generation", but then more as the full span of a lifetime.)

**Note that we still echo this notion in the expression "Life begins at forty!"

Biblical examples (some may be literally, but most are probably 'round numbers'):
1) 40 days (and nights) - length of the rainfall during Noah's flood; length of a period of fasting and preparation (Moses on Sinai [twice], Elijah near Sinai, Jesus in the desert); length of the spies' mission into the Promised land; time from Jesus' resurrection to his ascension
2) 40 years - length of each major part of Moses' life (birth to flight from Egypt, to his return to lead the people out, to his death); length of Israel's wandering in the desert ("until the whole GENERATION that came out of Egypt had died!"); length of the reign/rule of various leaders of Israel (Eli, Saul, David, Solomon, etc); time from the death of Jesus' till the predicted fall of Jerusalem ("this generation will not pass away until all this takes place")

Answer 2

From Etymology On-lIne:

'Forty winks "short sleep" is attested from 1828.'

However, they do not say as to where, or why forty.

However, it is quoted here:

"Well, forty winks will do you no harm," the Master said, and left me.
Sylvie and Bruno by Carroll, Lewis (1889)

Answer 3

Forty winks is to nap. I dont know why any other number is used but im sure I will find out now..

Answer 4

there's no quite unique volume because each and every volume has a minimum of one something putting apart it from the others. Or does this make all of them unique? I loved the answer about the letters of the be conscious being in alphabetical order, although. i imagine i will vote for that one.

Answer 5

i know - i prefer fifty winks!! ;-)