Nautical Terminology: Three Sheets to the Wind

May 26, 2004 · 1 min read

We use the term "three sheets to the wind" to describe someone who has had too much to drink.  As such, they are often bedraggled with perhaps shirttails out, clothes a mess, and with wild hair.

The reference is to a sailing ship in disarray, that is with its sheets (lines - not "ropes" - that adjust the angle at which a sail is set in relation to the wind) flapping loosely in the breeze.  When loose or let go, the sheets would let the sails go slack.  The ship would then lose speed and control.  It would begin to shudder and stagger, much like a drunk.

This article is part of the GWB Archives. Original Author: Mark Treadwell

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