Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Programs - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2012	Aug. 31, 2011
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Interest expense	$ 121,062,000	$ 106,129,000	$ 97,693,000
Trade Accounts Receivable Factoring Agreement
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sale agreement expiration date	Sep. 30, 2013
Trade accounts receivable sold	31,200,000	76,000,000	68,500,000
Proceeds from new transfers	31,200,000	76,000,000	68,400,000
Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sold	2,400,000,000	2,100,000,000	2,400,000,000
Proceeds from new transfers	2,400,000,000	2,100,000,000	2,400,000,000
Asset-Backed Securitization Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Percentage of trade accounts receivable sold to conduits by special purpose entities	100.00%
Trade accounts receivable sold	9,000,000,000	8,400,000,000	6,700,000,000
Cash proceeds for sale of trade accounts receivable	8,500,000,000	8,000,000,000	6,300,000,000
Proceeds from new transfers	54,200,000	0	14,100,000
Deferred purchases price receivable	541,200,000	477,500,000	439,100,000
Interest expense			1,400,000
Pretax losses on sale of trade accounts receivable	4,300,000	5,600,000	3,400,000
North American Asset-Backed Securitization Program
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sale agreement expiration date	Oct. 21, 2014
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	300,000,000
Foreign Asset-Backed Securitization Program
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sale agreement expiration date	May 15, 2015
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	200,000,000
200.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sale agreement expiration date	Nov. 30, 2013
200.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs | After amendment
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	200,000,000
200.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs | Before amendment
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	250,000,000
150.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sale agreement expiration date	Nov. 28, 2013
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	150,000,000
40.0 Million Dollar Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Program | Trade Accounts Receivable Sale Programs
Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization and Sale Program [Line Items]
Trade accounts receivable sale agreement expiration date	Jun. 01, 2015
Maximum net cash proceeds available at any one time under asset-backed securitization program and sales program	$ 40,000,000
Minimum number of days notice required to cancel receivable sale agreements	30 days