The whole nine yards

Meaning

The full entirety of something.

Examples

The allies went full-on in the attack on Baghdad – bombs, missiles, the whole nine yards.

Where did it originate?

The origin is unknown (and is probably the most sought after origin in all of etymology). Either USA or UK, early in the 20th century.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

The whole nine yards