Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended										3 Months Ended							3 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2007	Aug. 31, 2013		Aug. 31, 2012		Aug. 31, 2007 Interest rate swap Cash Flow Hedging	Feb. 28, 2011 Interest rate swap Fair value hedging	Aug. 31, 2013 Forward contracts Forward foreign exchange contracts	Aug. 31, 2012 Forward contracts Forward foreign exchange contracts	Aug. 31, 2013 Forward contracts Forward foreign exchange contracts Cash Flow Hedging	Aug. 31, 2012 Forward contracts Forward foreign exchange contracts Cash Flow Hedging	Aug. 31, 2009 7.750% Senior Notes Due 2016	Aug. 31, 2013 7.750% Senior Notes Due 2016		Aug. 31, 2012 7.750% Senior Notes Due 2016		Aug. 31, 2011 7.750% Senior Notes Due 2016	Feb. 28, 2011 7.750% Senior Notes Due 2016	May 31, 2008 8.250% Senior Notes Due 2018	Feb. 29, 2008 8.250% Senior Notes Due 2018	Aug. 31, 2007 8.250% Senior Notes Due 2018	Aug. 31, 2013 8.250% Senior Notes Due 2018		Aug. 31, 2012 8.250% Senior Notes Due 2018
Derivative [Line Items]
Aggregate notional amount outstanding						$ 400,000,000	$ 200,000,000	$ 1,300,000,000	$ 837,300,000	$ 591,700,000	$ 199,700,000
Amount estimated to reclassify into earnings during the next 12 months related to foreign currency risk management hedging arrangements		1,100,000
Senior unsecured notes, interest rate												7.75%	7.75%	[1]	7.75%	[1]		7.75%	8.25%	8.25%	8.25%	8.25%	[2]	8.25%	[2]
Fair value of interest rate swap including accrued interest on interest rate swap																	12,200,000
Accrued interest on interest rate swaps																	600,000
Amortization of interest rate swaps		2,400,000
Hedge accounting adjustment related to terminated interest rate swaps		6,823,000	[3]	9,197,000	[3]
Payment to settle interest rate swaps	43,100,000
Expiry date												Jul. 15, 2016							Mar. 15, 2018	Mar. 15, 2018	Mar. 15, 2018
Amount estimated to reclassify into earnings during the next 12 months related to interest rate risk management hedging arrangements		$ 4,000,000

[1] During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, the Company issued $312.0 million of seven-year, publicly-registered 7.750% notes (the "7.750% Senior Notes") at 96.1% of par, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $300.0 million. The 7.750% Senior Notes mature on July 15, 2016 and pay interest semiannually on January 15 and July 15. The 7.750% Senior Notes are the Company's senior unsecured obligations and rank equally with all other existing and future senior unsecured debt obligations. The Company is subject to covenants such as limitations on its and/or its subsidiaries' ability to: consolidate or merge with, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of the Company's assets to, another person; create certain liens; enter into sale and leaseback transactions; create, incur, issue, assume or guarantee funded debt (which only applies to the Company's "restricted subsidiaries"); and guarantee any of the Company's indebtedness (which only applies to the Company's subsidiaries). The Company is also subject to a covenant requiring its repurchase of the 7.750% Senior Notes upon a "change of control repurchase event."

[2] During the second and third quarters of fiscal year 2008, the Company issued $250.0 million and $150.0 million, respectively, of ten-year, unregistered 8.250% notes at 99.965% of par and 97.5% of par, respectively, resulting in net proceeds of approximately $245.7 million and $148.5 million, respectively. On July 18, 2008, the Company completed an exchange whereby all of the outstanding unregistered 8.250% Notes were exchanged for registered 8.250% Notes (collectively the "8.250% Senior Notes") that are substantially identical to the unregistered notes except that the 8.250% Senior Notes are registered under the Securities Act and do not have any transfer restrictions, registration rights or rights to additional special interest. The 8.250% Senior Notes mature on March 15, 2018 and pay interest semiannually on March 15 and September 15. The interest rate payable on the 8.250% Senior Notes is subject to adjustment from time to time if the credit ratings assigned to the 8.250% Senior Notes increase or decrease, as provided in the 8.250% Senior Notes. The 8.250% Senior Notes are the Company's senior unsecured obligations and rank equally with all other existing and future senior unsecured debt obligations. The Company is subject to covenants such as limitations on its and/or its subsidiaries' ability to: consolidate or merge with, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of the Company's assets to, another person; create certain liens; enter into sale and leaseback transactions; create, incur, issue, assume or guarantee any funded debt (which only applies to the Company's "restricted subsidiaries"); and guarantee any of the Company's indebtedness (which only applies to the Company's subsidiaries). The Company is also subject to a covenant requiring its repurchase of the 8.250% Senior Notes upon a "change of control repurchase event."

[3] This amount represents the fair value hedge accounting adjustment related to the 7.750% Senior Notes. For further discussion of the Company's fair value hedges, see Note 12 - "Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities" to the Consolidated Financial Statements