Fancy a nightcap

Posted by Smokey Stover on October 19, 2007

In Reply to: Fancy a nightcap posted by Les on October 19, 2007

: Why do we say "fancy a nightcap" for the last drink of the day?

Putting a nightcap on one's head used to be a ritual just before going to sleep, and thought to encourage sleep. "Nightcap" has since been applied to a drink, usually alcoholic, taken just before bed and also thought to help induce sleep. Both Bovril and Ovaltine have been advertised as good nightcaps because they help induce sleep when taken just before bed. To fancy a nightcap means simply to like or be pleased with, to desire, a drink at the end of the evening.
SS

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