in the arms of Murphy

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Meaning · English

Asleep.

Register: humorous, slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “in the arms of Murphy” mean?

Asleep.

Is “in the arms of Murphy” formal or informal?

in the arms of Murphy is generally humorous, slang.