Green’s Dictionary of Slang

bleary adj.

drunk.

1901		A. Binstead More Gal’s Gossip 111: It was hopeless to expect even the most bleary diner-out ever to call for ’99’s.
1908		‘Doss Chiderdoss’ ‘Language to a Lamp-Post’ Sporting Times 11 Jan. 1/3: Yet because one night he chanced to biff his bleary eye / And his ruddy nose against me, making lots of claret fly, / He used language which I daren’t repeat, though I’m not over shy, / And it must be strongish to upset a lamp-post!
1929		L. Axley ‘‘Drunk’ Again’ in AS IV:6 440: bleary-eyed.
1931		A. Hardin ‘Volstead English’ in AS VII:2 88: Terms referring to the state of intoxication: [...] Adjectives, etc: Bleary-eyed.
1931		Ade Old-Time Saloon 108: It harbored a bleary crew.
1939		Howsley Argot: Dict. of Und. Sl. 7: bleary eyed – dead drunk.
1944		P. Kendall Dict. Service Sl. n.p.: He might have been a little [...] bleary eyed [...] but he certainly wasn’t drunk.
1986		Eble Campus Sl. Mar. 1: bleary-eyed – state of intoxication.