How do you use "Three sheets to the wind" in a sentence?

He was three sheets to the wind by nine o'clock. Coming home three sheets to the wind again. After the wedding, everyone was three sheets.

Three sheets to the wind

Q: What does "Three sheets to the wind" mean?

Very drunk; heavily intoxicated. This nautical idiom describes someone very drunk—staggering around like a ship with loose sails. 'Sheets' are ropes controlling sails; with three loose, the ship moves erratically. It's colorful, old-fashioned, and still widely understood.

Slang Term BritishAmericanAustralian ★★★☆☆ Moderate Casual

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Meaning: Very drunk; heavily intoxicated.

烂醉；严重醉酒。

Muy borracho; bastante ebrio.

かなり酔っている。ひどく酩酊した状態。

몹시 취한 상태. 심하게 만취한.

This nautical idiom describes someone very drunk—staggering around like a ship with loose sails. 'Sheets' are ropes controlling sails; with three loose, the ship moves erratically. It's colorful, old-fashioned, and still widely understood.

这个航海习语形容一个人非常醉——像一艘帆绳松了的船一样摇摇晃晃。'Sheets'是控制帆的绳索，三根都松了，船就会乱摆。这个表达生动、老派，至今仍被广泛理解。

Este modismo náutico describe a alguien muy borracho, tambaleándose como un barco con las velas sueltas. 'Sheets' son las cuerdas que controlan las velas; con tres sueltas, el barco se mueve erráticamente. Es colorido, anticuado, y todavía ampliamente entendido.

この航海用語由来の慣用句は、非常に酔った人を表します。帆が緩んだ船のようによろめいている状態です。「シート」は帆を操る綱のことで、3本とも緩むと船は不規則に動きます。色彩豊かで古風な表現ですが、今でも広く理解されています。

항해 용어에서 유래한 관용구로, 돛줄(sheets)이 세 개나 풀려 배가 비틀거리듯 흔들리는 것처럼 술에 취해 비틀거리는 상태를 뜻한다. 다채롭고 고풍스러운 표현이지만 지금도 널리 이해된다.

Examples

He was three sheets to the wind by nine o'clock.
他九点就醉得东倒西歪了
Estaba como una cuba a las nueve
彼は9時までにべろべろに酔っていた
그는 9시쯤에 이미 곤드레만드레 취해 있었다.
Coming home three sheets to the wind again.
又醉醺醺地回家了
Volviendo a casa borracho como una cuba otra vez
またべろべろで帰ってきた
또 곤드레만드레가 되어 집에 왔다.
After the wedding, everyone was three sheets.
婚礼之后每个人都醉得不行
Después de la boda, todos estaban borrachos
結婚式の後、みんなべろべろだった
결혼식이 끝나고 모두 곤드레만드레였다.

Pronunciation

/θriː ʃiːts tə ðə wɪnd/

Usage Guide

Context: drinking, stories, humor

Tone: colorful, nautical

✓ Do Say

Three sheets to the wind
醉得东倒西歪
Borracho como una cuba
べろべろに酔った
비틀거릴 정도로 취한
Three sheets
烂醉
Borracho
べろべろ
곤드레만드레

Common Mistakes

Sheets are ropes, not sails—common misunderstanding
Old-fashioned but still widely used

Origin & History

From sailing terminology—sheets are ropes that control sails. With sheets loose, a ship moves unpredictably, like a drunk person. The phrase dates to the early 19th century. 'Two sheets' meant moderately drunk; 'three sheets' very drunk.

Etymology: From sailing—sheets are ropes controlling sails

First recorded: Early 19th century

Cultural Context

Era: Early 19th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Naval tradition; Nautical slang

Regional notes: Universal English idiom, nautical origin.

Story & Trivia

Sailors had their own scale: one sheet to the wind was tipsy, two sheets was properly drunk, and three sheets was staggering. The phrase reflects the close relationship between sailing and drinking in naval culture.

Variations

Three sheets to the windThree sheetsTwo sheets to the wind