Three Sheets to the Wind – Meaning, Origin and Usage
Have you ever been on a night out for drinks and someone describes one of your crew looking ‘three sheets to the wind’? Sounds like an odd thing to say at a bar, right? Wrong.
I’m going to fill you in on everything you need to know about the phrase, including what the phrase means, when and where the saying comes from, how and when to use the phrase, and what alternative words and phrases you could choose to use in its place. By the time I get to the conclusion, you’ll be fully covered. Here goes…
What is the meaning of the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’?
If someone says that they are ‘three sheets to the wind’ this means that they are inebriated or drunk, and are feeling jolly and having a great time. This may be how someone might describe themselves when they’re just past being tipsy, and are really letting their hair down and getting into the spirit of the evening.
You can use the phrase to describe yourself or others, if appropriate.
What is the origin of the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’?
As you may imagine, the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’ has nautical origins, since it’s a phrase derived from sailing ships…
In the 1800s, tall ships had sails controlled by ropes known as sheets which would have been fixed to the lower corners of the sails to keep them in place. If one of these sheets were to become loose, or break off altogether, the sheets are then said to be ‘to the wind’. If or when all three of these sheets are loose, the sails will flap around wildly, and the ship’s movement and direction will be completely out of control.
Sailors would describe someone who is tipsy as having ‘one sheet to the wind’, whereas if they were out of control drunk, they would be likened to having ‘three sheets to the wind.’
The Oxford English Dictionary dates back to the year 1821. Another early recorded use of the phrase goes back to 1840 when it was used by Richard Henry Dana in the works Two Years Before the Mast. Shortly after this, the phrase also begins to appear in literature, such as in the book “Dombey and Son” by Carles Dickens published in 1848, in which the main character Captain Cuttle thinks that Bunsby, his crew member is “was three sheets in the wind, or, in plain words, drunk.”
How and when can you use the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’?
Many people who use the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’ do so because it can be considered a more forgiving phrase than some of the alternatives.
That said however, the phrase is often used in the context of alcoholism or even of substance misuse. So before you use this phrase to describe yourself or someone else, you’d be well advised to be sure you know the crowd, and be sure to read the room. It’s not always an appropriate thing to say.
If you do see someone who appears to be ‘three sheets to the wind’ the best thing to do would be to keep an eye on them, make sure they are safe and looked out for, and don’t allow them any more alcohol.
Here follows a few examples of the phrase in use:
- ‘Karen’s starting to look three sheets to the wind. Maybe it’s time we called an Uber.’
- ‘One more glass and I think I’ll be three sheets to the wind.’
- ‘I can’t have anymore, I’ll be three sheets to the wind.’
- ‘Look at her – she’s three sheets to the wind dancing on the tables.’
- ‘Let’s paint the town red – I’m ready to be three sheets to the wind.’
What can you say in place of the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’?
There are several similar phrases that can be used in place of ‘three sheets to the wind’, here are some examples for you:
- ‘I am / he is / she is drunk.’
- ‘I have never been this drunk.’
- ‘I am never getting this drunk ever again.’
- ‘I’m going to feel like hell in the morning.’
- ‘I started being more than tipsy two drinks ago.’
- ‘He/she likes a drink.’
- ‘He/she has drunk too much I think.’
Final thoughts
So, to summarise, the phrase ‘three sheets to the wind’ is an old one and is derived from a nautical expression, to say that the navigation of the ship is completely out of control because the sails are no longer attached.
Over time the meaning of the phrase expanded to refer to anyone who can be described as out of control due to having too much alcohol to drink, and is very drunk.
