three sheets to the wind

The phrase "three sheets to the wind" is an idiomatic expression that refers to someone who is extremely drunk or intoxicated. In nautical terms, a "sheet" is a rope or line that controls the position of a sail. If three sheets are loose or not secured, the sail flaps around in the wind, causing the boat to move erratically and the sailor's control to be impaired. By analogy, when someone is "three sheets to the wind," it indicates that they are disoriented, unsteady, and inebriated.