two sheets to the wind
Related to two sheets to the wind: Three sheets to the wind, four sheets to the wind
two sheets to the wind
slang Extremely drunk. Most likely derived from nautical terminology, in which a "sheet" is the rope that controls the sails of a tall ship; if several sheets are loose or mishandled, the boat's movement becomes unsteady and difficult to control, like that of a drunk person. On his 21st birthday, Jeff's friends took him to every bar in town until he was two sheets to the wind. We were all two sheets to the wind coming out of the restaurant, so I knew it wasn't a good idea for anyone to drive.
See also: sheet, two, wind
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
two (or three) sheets to (or in) the wind
drunk. informalThe origins of this expression are nautical. Sheets here are the ropes attached to the corners of a ship's sail, used for controlling the extent and direction of the sail; if they are hanging loose in the wind, the vessel is likely to be out of control or taking an erratic course.
See also: sheet, two, wind
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
two sheets to the wind
verbSee three sheets in the wind
See also: sheet, two, wind
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
- four sheets in the wind
- four sheets to the wind
- four sheets
- three sheets
- three sheets in the wind
- three sheets to the wind
- in stays
- back water
- both sheets in the wind
- steady the ship