force oneself to try to sleep
A native Thai recording for this word is on the way. Please check back soon.
- 1 force oneself to try to sleep、try hard to fall asleep
It describes forcing yourself to close your eyes and trying to sleep when worry, excitement, or another strong feeling is keeping you awake.
force oneself to try to sleep、try hard to fall asleep
To make yourself close your eyes and try to fall asleep despite being unable to relax naturally.
Learning notes
Explanation
ข่มตา combines ข่ม, “to suppress or force,” with ตา, “eye.” The literal image is one of forcing the eyes shut, but the expression normally refers to trying to sleep despite worry, excitement, sadness, or persistent thoughts. It commonly appears in phrases such as ข่มตาหลับ and ข่มตานอน. Negative patterns such as ข่มตาไม่ลง and ข่มตานอนไม่ได้ mean that someone cannot get to sleep despite trying.
Usage
It is often used when someone cannot settle down at night because of bad news, anxiety, regret, excitement, or thoughts about the next day. It fits situations in which the person needs to sleep but has to struggle to do so.
Caution
Use หลับตา when you only mean “close one’s eyes.” ข่มตาไม่ลง normally means being unable to sleep because of emotional or mental unrest, not being physically unable to close the eyelids.