the whole nine yards
noun-phrase (informal)

- everything, the whole lot

- everything you can possibly want, have, or do in a particular situation

Wikipedia, The Cambridge Dictionary

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PHRASE ORIGIN

Despite extensive research, the exact origin of “the whole nine yards” remains uncertain and has been described as one of the most prominent etymological mysteries of our time.

The earliest confirmed use of the phrase dates back to 1907 in a newspaper from Mitchell, Indiana. It appeared in the context of a baseball game, suggesting it was already an established idiom at that time. Even earlier uses have been found for a variant: "the whole six yards" dating to 1855 and 1846.

Despite decades of research, the true origin of "the whole nine yards" remains elusive. Its widespread use and interest in its etymology can be partly attributed to New York Times language columnist William Safire, who wrote extensively about this linguistic mystery.

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THE GREAT ETYMOLOGY MYSTERY

Which of the following etymological speculations do you find the most plausible?

1. World War II Ammunition Belts = the length of ammunition belts in American fighter planes during World War II, which were supposedly 27 feet (9 yards) long.

2. Cement Trucks = the capacity of cement trucks, which can carry up to 9 cubic yards of concrete.

3. Fabric for Tailoring = the amount of fabric needed to make a full suit or a traditional dress such as a sari.

4. Sailing Ships = from the nautical world, where a fully-rigged sailing ship had three masts with three yards each, totaling nine yards.

5. Scottish Kilts = the length of a kilt for a large Scotsman.

6. American Football = where a team needs to gain 10 yards for a first down, and "the whole nine yards" would be nearly the entire distance needed.

7. Bridal Trains = the length of a queen's bridal train.

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SYNONYMS

a to z, all, all bases covered, all inclusive, all of it, all or nothing, all the bells and whistles, all the marbles, all the tea in China, all the trimmings, all-in, complete deal, complete enchilada, complete package, entire deal, every last bit, everything, everything and more, everything but the kitchen sink, everything possible, everything you've got, full dress, full extent, full measure, hook line and sinker, in for a penny in for a pound, kit and caboodle, lock stock and barrel, replete, soup to nuts, spares no expense, the complete works, the full enchilada, the full monty, the full nine yards, the full package, the full treatment, the lot, the real deal, the whole ball game, the whole ball of wax, the whole bit, the whole deal, the whole enchilada, the whole hog, the whole kaboodle, the whole kit and boodle, the whole kit and caboodle, the whole megillah, the whole mess, THE WHOLE NINE YARDS, the whole schmear, the whole shebang, the whole shooting match, the whole show, the whole shtick, the works, thoroughgoing, through and through, top-to-bottom, total, total commitment, total package, totality, up to the hilt

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

"I like the theory that THE WHOLE NINE YARDS comes from the maximum length of material in a Scottish kilt. It’s normally eight yards, but for a large Scot, nine yards is necessary."

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