"heads and tails" = in every aspect?

Posted by Pdianek on November 28, 2003

In Reply to: "Heads and tails" = in every aspect? posted by Anders on November 27, 2003

: As you know, we recently had a discussion of the meaning of "flip side," at which point the coin-related expression "heads or/and tails" came up. Well, here's the expression again, only this time with a very different meaning: "These people were already building Stratocaster type guitars that were heads and tails better than anything Fender was doing" (from link below). The meaning, I suspect, is "in every way/aspect/detail/sense/etc." Has anyone seen this expression before?
: Anders

Perhaps the writer unconsciously warped the expression "head and shoulders"?

Head and shoulders: (a) By force; violently; as, to drag one, head and shoulders. "They bring in every figure of speech, head and shoulders." --Felton. (b) By the height of the head and shoulders; hence, by a great degree or space; by far; much; as, he is head and shoulders above them.

• Lock stock and barrel Lewis 28/November/03
  • Lock stock and barrel Anders 29/November/03