‘Three sheets to the wind’: how everyday phrases blew in from the sea | Language

Some colloquial expressions have an obvious maritime origin, such as “all at sea” and “a steady keel”. But many others have entered the language unnoticed, including a number derived from how sailors talked about wind.

Surprisingly, he was a “bully” originally a maritime termThis means gaining an advantage over another ship by safely carrying more tarpaulin and thus being able to sail faster. The phrase came to be used figuratively to describe an approaching storm or anything from which there is no escape. Similarly, to “lean down” on something meant to approach it powerfully, leaving the wind at your back.

“Veering” from Frenchmore virtuousThe expression “meaning to turn” was first applied to the change in the direction of the wind. It specifically means a clockwise movement. A wind shifting counterclockwise, for example from north to west, “returns” rather than changing direction.

“Generally” originally referred to a ship that alternately sailed as close to the wind as possible, known as sailing “with the wind”, sailing in the direction the wind was blowing. This is what this expression meant in most cases or in general.

These expressions are amphibians that make themselves at home in the suburbs by migrating from sea to land, leaving behind all traces of ocean winds.