Everything Everywhere Daily · Sunday, August 30, 2026
The phrase 'three sheets to the wind,' now meaning heavily intoxicated, originally referred to a ship's sails. When three sheets (ropes controlling sails) were loose, the ship would stagger and lose control, much like a drunk person.
“In nautical terms, a sheet is the rope or line used to control a sail's angle to the wind.”
“Having three sheets loose would cause the ship to stagger and wobble in the water, much like a drunken person who would stumble while trying to walk.”
“Sailors began to use this term to describe someone who was very drunk, as they would be out of control and unsteady, just like a ship with loose sails.”