Financing - Schedule of Long-term Debt (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	May 10, 2014	Aug. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	$ 4,378,400	$ 4,187,000
Less: Short-term borrowings	215,156	173,733
Long-term debt	4,163,244	4,013,267
6.500% Senior Notes due January 2014, Effective Interest Rate of 6.63% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt		500,000
5.750% Senior Notes due January 2015, Effective Interest Rate of 5.89% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	500,000	500,000
5.500% Senior Notes due November 2015, Effective Interest Rate of 4.86% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	300,000	300,000
6.950% Senior Notes due June 2016, Effective Interest Rate of 7.09% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	200,000	200,000
1.300% Senior Notes due January 2017, Effective Interest Rate of 1.43% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	400,000
7.125% Senior Notes due August 2018, Effective Interest Rate of 7.28% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	250,000	250,000
4.000% Senior Notes due November 2020, Effective Interest Rate of 4.43% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	500,000	500,000
3.700% Senior Notes due April 2022, Effective Interest Rate of 3.85% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	500,000	500,000
2.875% Senior Notes due January 2023, Effective Interest Rate of 3.21% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	300,000	300,000
3.125% Senior Notes due July 2023, Effective Interest Rate of 3.26% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	500,000	500,000
Commercial paper, weighted average interest rate of 0.26% and 0.29% at May 10, 2014 and August 31, 2013, respectively [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	$ 928,400	$ 637,000