Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2014	Feb. 28, 2013
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 36,883	$ 40,323
Investing Activities
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	2,008	1,177
Proceeds (loss) on sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	243,386
Intercompany investment	0
Capital expenditures	(22,226)	(11,726)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	(83)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	223,168	(10,632)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	(125,000)	0
Principal repayments on term loan	0	(2,500)
Intercompany loan activity		0
Changes in receivables and payables to subsidiaries	0
Intercompany capital contributions	0
Purchase of treasury shares	(109,095)	(8,821)
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	25,803	10,772
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	(753)	(1,350)
Cash dividend	(2,919)	(2,911)
Net cash used in financing activities	(211,964)	(4,810)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	2,944	(2,242)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	51,031	22,639
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	103,986	68,184
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	155,017	90,823
Parent
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(223)	5,606
Investing Activities
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	1	562
Proceeds (loss) on sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	(4,134)
Intercompany investment	0
Capital expenditures	(2,424)	(668)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(6,557)	(106)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	(125,000)
Principal repayments on term loan		(2,500)
Intercompany loan activity		(7,370)
Changes in receivables and payables to subsidiaries	213,449
Intercompany capital contributions	0
Purchase of treasury shares	(109,095)	(8,821)
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	25,803	10,772
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	0	(1,350)
Cash dividend	(2,919)	(2,911)
Net cash used in financing activities	2,238	(12,180)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(4,542)	(6,680)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	16,122	12,401
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	11,580	5,721
Guarantors
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	8,331	8,913
Investing Activities
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	74	74
Proceeds (loss) on sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	214,268
Intercompany investment	(99,963)
Capital expenditures	(2,379)	(2,014)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	112,000	(1,940)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	0
Principal repayments on term loan		0
Intercompany loan activity		(7,064)
Changes in receivables and payables to subsidiaries	(120,305)
Intercompany capital contributions	0
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	0	0
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	0	0
Cash dividend	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(120,305)	(7,064)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	26	(91)
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	0	91
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	26	0
Non-Guarantors
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	43,491	25,804
Investing Activities
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	1,933	541
Proceeds (loss) on sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	33,252
Intercompany investment	0
Capital expenditures	(17,423)	(9,044)
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(83)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	17,762	(8,586)
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	0
Principal repayments on term loan		0
Intercompany loan activity		14,434
Changes in receivables and payables to subsidiaries	(93,144)
Intercompany capital contributions	99,963
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	0	0
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	(753)	0
Cash dividend	(14,716)	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(8,650)	14,434
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	2,944	(2,242)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	55,547	29,410
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	87,864	55,692
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	143,411	85,102
Eliminations
Operating Activities
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(14,716)	0
Investing Activities
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment	0	0
Proceeds (loss) on sale of businesses, net of transaction costs	0
Intercompany investment	99,963
Capital expenditures	0	0
Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	99,963	0
Financing Activities
Net repayments on revolver	0
Principal repayments on term loan		0
Intercompany loan activity		0
Changes in receivables and payables to subsidiaries	0
Intercompany capital contributions	(99,963)
Purchase of treasury shares	0	0
Stock option exercises and related tax benefits	0	0
Payment of contingent acquisition consideration	0	0
Cash dividend	14,716	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(85,247)	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents – beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents – end of period	$ 0	$ 0