Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a euph. term meaning drunk; thus concerned with drink, concerned in drink.

1678		J. Ray Proverbs (2nd edn) 87: Proverbiall Periphrases of one drunk. He’s disguised [...] He is concerned.
1686		Magdalen College and King James II (Oxford Hist. Soc.) in Athenaeum 8 Jan. 1887 56: When Mi. Anthony Farmer came to the Lobster about eleven at night, he came much concerned in drink [F&H].
1723		Swift ‘Mary the Cookmaid’s Letter’ in Complete Poems (1983) 187: I have been his servant four years [...] and never called me worse than sweetheart, drunk or sober; / Not that I know his Reverence was ever concern’d to my knowledge.
1737		B. Franklin ‘Drinkers Dictionary’ in Pennsylvania Gazette 6 Jan. in AS XII:2 90: They come to be well understood to signify plainly that A MAN IS DRUNK. [...] Concern’d.
1770		Gent.’s Mag. Dec. 559/2: To express the condition of an Honest Fellow [...] under the Effects of good Fellowship, it is said that he is [...] Concerned.
1834		H. Taylor Philip van Artevelde Pt II iii 3: Oh, she’s a light skirts! yea, and at this present A little, as you see, concern’d with liquor [F&H].
1904		Belfast News-Letter 15 June 6: [Names for drunk] ‘concerned’, ‘overtaken,’ ‘elevated,’ ‘fuddled,’ ’.

2. see consarned adj.