Dictionary

sleep of the just en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ˈsliːp əv ðə ˈdʒʌst/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈslip əv ðə ˈdʒʌst/ (General-American)

Etymology

From the idea that people who act justly have no worries and so sleep well, while unjust people are concerned about the consequences of their actions and so sleep poorly.

Meanings

1. (uncountable) A deep and worry-free sleep.
   • You would probably not say he was sleeping the sleep of the just, unless you meant the just asleep, but it was certainly the sleep of someone who was not fooling about when he climbed into bed of a night and turned off the light. 1988, Douglas Adams, chapter 3, in The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, trade paperback edition, New York, N.Y.: Gallery Books, published October 2014, →ISBN, page 20:
   • Make your mind easy, Percival. Sleep, my son, the sleep of the just; and see what I will do for you when daylight comes to help us both. 1859 November 26 – 1860 August 25, [William] Wilkie Collins, “The Narrative of Marian Halcombe, Taken from Her Diary”, in The Woman in White. […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], published 1860, →OCLC, part I, page 139, column 2:
   • That night, as Grimley Grange was sleeping the sleep of the just, two shadowy forms crept through the shrubbery by the library window with all the stealthiness of professional house-breakers. 1915–1916, John Lea, “Sir Guy’s Atonement: A Christmas Term Story”, in The Boy’s Own Paper, volume XXXVIII, part 3, London: “Boy’s Own Paper” Office, […], →OCLC, page 134, column 1:
   • Lennie Doria tapped on my door a couple of nights later while I was cramming (Nate had been in the rack for an hour or more, sleeping the sleep of the just and the caught-up) and asked me if I had any interest in writing a paper about Crispus Atticus. 1999, Stephen King, “Hearts in Atlantis”, in Hearts in Atlantis, trade paperback edition, New York, N.Y.: Scribner, published November 2017, →ISBN, chapter 14, page 386:
   • He slept the sleep of the just, with just that gentle whisper of a snore which Aristotle hints at to prove that virtue being, as she must be, in the mean, doth in the neutral third of life maintain a middle course between loud snore and silent slumber. 1876, R[ichard] D[oddridge] Blackmore, “So is Mr. Sharp”, in Cripps, the Carrier. A Woodland Tale. […], volume I, London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, […], →OCLC, page 169:
   • Then—Smith went to bed, and slept the sleep of the just, with not a glimmering of an idea that he was not the unselfishest and lovingest of husbands. 1867 October, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s Headaches”, in I[saac] W[illiam] Wiley, editor, The Ladies’ Repository: A Monthly Periodical, Devoted to Literature and Religion, volume XXVII, Cincinnati, Oh.: Poe & Hitchcock; […], →OCLC, page 612, column 2:
   • After the gentleman and Senator [Mariano Jesús] Cuenco interpellated me, I knew already that my bill was hopeless. That is why I presented that bill on February 4th, but it slept the sleep of the just in the Committee on Education. 1958 May 9, [Roseller Tarroza] Lim, “Manifestaciones del Sen. [Decoroso] Rosales”, in Republic of the Philippines Congressional Record (Senate of the Philippines), volume I, number 67, Manila, Philippines: Bureau of Printing, →OCLC, page 1343, column 1:
   • All night long, she tossed and turned in bed, envious of Nennella, who shared the same room but didn't question things very deeply. The maid slept the sleep of the just, and a faint whistling came from her nose, like babies when they have a slight cold. 2016 September, Vito Bruschini, chapter 25, in Anne Milano Appel, transl., The Prince, New York, N.Y.: Atria Paperback, →ISBN, page 172:
2. (dated, euphemistic, uncountable) A peaceful death or burial.
   • He [Albert Vernon Randall] was called to his final reward in January, 1883, after a long and useful life, and with his faithful wife, Sarah (Pettit) Randall, who was born May 9, 1809, in Loudoun County, Virginia, now sleeps the sleep of the just in the beautiful cemetery at Shebyville. 1909, Edward H. Chadwick, “Albert Vernon Randall”, in Chadwick’s History of Shelby County, Indiana, Indianapolis, Ind.: B. F. Bowen & Company, →OCLC, page 484:
   • Towards the close of the day (the 8th) the holy father [Pope Leo XII], who had never lost his recollection, fell into a profound lethargy, from which he did not recover till at nine in the morning of the 10th [of February, 1829], to fall into the sleep of the just. 1829 April 18, “Death of Pope Leo XII”, in H[ezekiah] Niles & son, editors, Niles’ Weekly Register, volume XII, number 8 (Third Series; volume XXXVI, issue 918 overall), Baltimore, Md.: H[ezekiah] Niles & Son […], →OCLC, page 121, column 2:
   • At length he [Jean-Pierre-François Guillot-Duhamel] slept the sleep of the just, on the 19th February 1816, aged somewhat less than 86 years old. 1830 October–December, [Georges] Cuvier, “Biographical Memoir of M. Duhamel”, in Robert Jameson, editor, The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, Exhibiting a View of the Progressive Discoveries and Improvements in the Sciences and the Arts, volume XIX, Edinburgh: […] Adam Black, […]; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green, →OCLC, page 14:

Relateds

how can you sleep at night · sleep like a top · sleep like a log · sleep like a rock · sleep like a baby

Synonyms

the big sleep · decease · passing · downfall · repose · demise · sleep of the just · liquidation · end · fatality · decomposition · crash · sunset · (the) bane · doom · dirt nap · expiration · dematerialization · tomb · fall · quietus · (the) end · mortality · death · celestial transfer · exit · defunction

Translations (19)

ru сном пра́ведника (deep and worry-free sleep) · cmn 長眠 /长眠 (peaceful death or burial) · de ewige Ruhe (peaceful death or burial) · cmn 沉睡 (deep and worry-free sleep) · cmn 酣睡 (deep and worry-free sleep) · pl sen sprawiedliwego class (deep and worry-free sleep) · de Abberufung (peaceful death or burial) · pt sono dos justos (deep and worry-free sleep) · cmn 安息 (peaceful death or burial) · ca son del just (peaceful death or burial) · fr sommeil du juste (deep and worry-free sleep) · de Schlaf des Gerechten (deep and worry-free sleep) · de Schlaf der Gerechten (deep and worry-free sleep) · es el sueño de los justos (deep and worry-free sleep) · cmn 入土為安 /入土为安 (peaceful death or burial) · fi ikuinen uni (peaceful death or burial) · de Heimgang (peaceful death or burial) · hu az igazak álma (deep and worry-free sleep) · ga codladh na bhfíréan (deep and worry-free sleep)