3 Sheets to the Wind

23/01/2020 6 min
3 Sheets to the Wind

Listen "3 Sheets to the Wind"

Episode Synopsis

"3 Sheets to the Wind" - Episode 2 of the, "History of Everyday Sayings" PodcastSummary:Learn the origin of the phrase, "3 Sheets to the Wind".- "3 Sheets to the Wind" is a nautical term originating in England during the early 1800s.- A sheet is a rope or sometimes a chain holding a sail in place. Contrary to popular belief, a sheet does not refer to the sail itself.- If the sail isn't held properly by the sheets, the ship becomes impossible to steer in rough weather.- The movements of a drunken sailor mirror the movements of a ship whose sails are not properly secured by the sheets.Few people know the origins of this often used phrase, but you can now count yourself among the tiny minority of people who do.For more “Amazing History of Everyday Sayings” tasty auditory tidbits you can use to amaze friends and family, subscribe for free where you get your podcasts. If you would like to comment on this or any other episode, email me at [email protected]. ——References:“The Phrase Finder”. https://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/three-sheets-to-the-wind.html.Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/three--sheets--to--the--windWord Histories. https://wordhistories.net/2018/07/25/sheets-wind-drunk/World Wide Words. http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-thr1.htm“Drunken Sailor - Irish Rovers - Lyrics”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_RWtdm81WUMicrophone: AT2005