Better than 'sleep loose' I guess, but what the...?
2006-12-26 12:10:53 · 9 answers · asked by The Mad Shillelagh 6 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
Explanation #1. Before the days of mattresses, beds were square frames elevated from the ground, with ropes tied across in a sort of weave. It was similar to a hammock in concept. Anyway, in order to sleep well, the "mattress" couldn't sag, so the bed had to be "tight."
Explanation #2. Oxford English Dictionary, which knows a bit about such things, doesn't buy it. Here's what they say: "It seems that tight in this expression is the equivalent of the only surviving use of the adverb tightly meaning 'soundly, properly, well, effectively'."
2006-12-26 14:16:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Years ago beds used to have ropes underneath the mattresses instead of box springs. From time to time the ropes would sag and have to be tightened. Hence, the term sleep tight.
2006-12-27 04:30:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Back in the old days when they didnt have beds, they slept on potatoe sacks filled with hay (as a matress) and they had ropes tying it to boards, and they said "sleep tight " as in , tighten your ropes so you dont droop down, and when they say "dont let the bed bugs bite", thats obviously for the bugs that were hiding in the hay...
2006-12-26 20:16:25 · answer #3 · answered by ♥Asker 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ooh, Ooh, I know I know!!! Used to, the old beds were straw ticks on rope frames, and every night before you went to bed you tightened your ropes so the bed wouldn't sag. This is also where don't let the bed bugs bite came from; the beds were made of straw, right? So bugs would hide in the straw in your bed.
2006-12-26 22:25:19 · answer #4 · answered by Keli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
from the days when to have a firm bed you tied ropes around the bedding and tied it up TIGHT.so ..."Sleep tight don't let the bedbugs bite" really meant what it said.
2006-12-26 21:14:48 · answer #5 · answered by bezeel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If i not mistaken
Its because once people sleep in a matras that have to be tied to some kind of pole...
Its about all i remember
2006-12-26 20:16:33 · answer #6 · answered by Ice Blue 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its actually from when beds had ropes that had to be "tightened" under a mattress of straw or something like that.
2006-12-26 20:13:21 · answer #7 · answered by kurticus1024 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
form a different generation
2006-12-26 20:12:51 · answer #8 · answered by STORMY K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
here, i looked it up:
http://www.askoxford.com/asktheexperts/faq/aboutwordorigins/tight
2006-12-26 20:13:11 · answer #9 · answered by Naja_I5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋