Definition:
Drunk
Usage:
He'd been in the pub for two hours, and was three sheets to the wind by now.
Explanation:
Taken from sailing a square-rigged sailboat; square sails had four sheets (the ropes attached to the corners of the sail) to control them. If one or even two sheets went "to the wind" (meaning flapping in the breeze and hard to retrieve) the boat was still quasi-controllable. However, if a third sheet was lost to the wind, you had no way to fill your sail and were essentially out of control.
Trivia:
If you have a fun fact associated with this word/phrase include it here.
