This
database is a comprehensive collection of all the American idioms and slang available.
American Idioms are many and varied. We hope you enjoy our collection. We are adding more all the time.
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Three sheets to the wind
What does Three sheets to the wind mean? | Very drunk, highly intoxicated. | The groom made it to the alter, but he was three sheets to the wind.
The phrase comes from 18th - 19th century English Naval terminology. The original phrase was "three Sheets in the wind" and referred to the erratic behavior of a ship that has lost control of all of its sails.
In nautical terminology sheets are the ropes that adjust the position of the sails relative to the wind.
The speed and direction of a sailing ship is controlled by the number of sails raised on each mast, the angle of the sails to the wind (trim of the sails), and the position of the rudder. If the sheets used to control the sails are to break or are have been released, the sheet is said to be "in the wind".
One can imagine a sail thrashing wildly in a strong wind with its sheet (the control ropes) blowing about. It would be very difficult to regain control of such a sail.
Prior to the 1810's it was common for ships to have three masts, (fore, main, and mizzen). If the sheets on all three masts are "in the wind", the ship loses all steering control.
The ship's lack of control is likened to that of a stumbling drunk. |
three sheets to the wind
What does three sheets to the wind mean? | to be unsteady from drinking too much alcohol, to be drunk | I saw my neighbor walking down the street last night but he seemed to have three sheets to the wind.
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three sheets to the wind
What does three sheets to the wind mean? | drunk | The man walked down the street with three sheets to the wind.
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three sheets to the wind
What does three sheets to the wind mean? | drunk |
The man walked down the street with three sheets to the wind.
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three sheets to the wind
What does three sheets to the wind mean? | to be unsteady from drinking too much alcohol, to be drunk |
I saw my neighbor walking down the street last night. He seemed to have three sheets to the wind.
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Some Random Idioms
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chip in
What does "chip in" mean? | to contribute to something, to pay jointly for something |
We chipped in and bought our father a birthday present.
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get one's wires crossed
What does "get one's wires crossed" mean? | : be confused or mistaken about
something. | A: "Bill said there was a meeting this morning. Don'twe have one?" B: "No. The meeting's tomorrow. I guess Bill got his wirescrossed."
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beat the rap
What does "beat the rap" mean? | to escape conviction and punishment (for a crime) | The man beat the rap and did not have to go to jail.
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hold one`s tongue
What does "hold one`s tongue" mean? | keep quiet | He decided to hold his tongue rather than give his honest opinion.
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knackered
What does "knackered" mean? | very tired; wiped out; exhausted |
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Go nuts
What does "Go nuts" mean? | If someone goes nuts, they get excited over something. |
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make up for lost time
What does "make up for lost time" mean? | do something quickly (because you wasted time before) | We wasted several days before we started to prepare for our holiday so we had to work hard to make up for lost time.
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cut off one`s nose to spite one`s face
What does "cut off one`s nose to spite one`s face" mean? | to make things worse for oneself by trying to harm someone/something else | The man cut off his nose to spite his face when he became angry and quit his job.
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Hot ticket
What does "Hot ticket" mean? | A hot ticket is something that is very much in demand at the moment. |
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too many cooks spoil the broth/stew
What does "too many cooks spoil the broth/stew" mean? | too many people trying to do something will cause problems | Too many cooks spoil the broth and we decided to have less people work on the project because having too many people was making it difficult to do anything.
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