Three sheets to the wind

The phrase “three sheets to the wind” comes straight from nautical life—and originally had nothing to do with drinking at all!

🚢 Nautical Origin:

In sailing, a “sheet” is not a sail—it’s a rope (or line) used to control a sail’s angle to the wind.

If a sailboat had one sheet loose, it would flap a bit. With two, it would wobble more. But if all three sheets (typically controlling the mainsail and jib sails) were loose and flailing in the wind, the boat would become completely out of control—lurching, staggering, and veering unpredictably.

Sound familiar?

That’s exactly how someone walks when they’re very drunk—staggering like a ship adrift.

⚓ Evolution into Slang:

By the early 1800s, British sailors (and eventually tavern-goers) began using “three sheets to the wind” to describe someone very intoxicated. Over time, it became common in wider English usage.

Bonus: In early versions, sailors used a scale:

So next time someone uses the phrase, you’ll know it’s not about laundry or sails flapping aimlessly—it’s about a drunken ship in disarray!