Nautical Term: Three sheets to the wind
Definition of Three sheets to the wind
Three sheets to the wind refers to a sailing condition where three of the ship’s rope sheets are unfurled and running freely. This leaves the ship with minimal sails, making it difficult to maintain headway and control, and often metaphorically used to describe a state of drunkenness.
Example: After a long day of sailing, the crew decided to celebrate with a few bottles of rum. As the night wore on, more and more bottles were emptied. Before they knew it, the ship was sailing with three sheets to the wind, and the crew was barely able to keep the ship on course. Drunk.
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