What's the eytymology of the phrase "the whole nine yards?"?

Question

As in to complete every step required to acheive a desired goal; put in some extra effort etc.

Why is it nine yard?

Answer 1

Not very interesting - but I too use the phrase sometimes.

The earliest known example of the phrase in print is in 'The Agitator, 29th Mar 1855'. This newspaper, based in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, claimed to be 'Devoted to the Extension of the Area of Freedom and the Spread of Healthy Reform'. Despite that, rather than news, it contains made-up stories of the 'WWII bomber found on the moon' sort we see in our contemporary gutter press. The story from 1855 concerns a judge who arrived at an event without a spare shirt and decided to have one made for him. As a joke a friend ordered one with three times the required material, i.e. 'nine yards of bleached domestic and three yards of linen'. The outcome was:

"He found himself shrouded in a shirt five yards long and four yards broad. What a silly, stupid woman! I told her to get enough to make three shirts; instead of making three, she has put the whole nine yards into one shirt!"

Answer 2

Well is used to be the full 27 ft but doesn’t have the same ring to it !!!
It actually refers to a yard of Ale in ancient times it was considered a rite of passage to manhood if you could down 9 yards of ale wile walking a line 27ft long with youreyes closed !! if you failed you had your left arm cut off a highly important occasions ……….FACT

Answer 3

This is a cool one....it comes from World War II. The fighter pilots had belts of ammunition for their wing mounted machine guns that were (you guessed it), 9 yards long. When they shot up the whole belt (or in most cases belts) they said they used "the whole 9 yards".

Answer 4

Some say it is a reference to WW2 US fighter planes which carried nine yards of ammo (as ammo come in the form of a belt - you see in Rambo etc.) and some enemy pilot who they shot at wit all ammo "got whole nine yards".

Answer 5

the word comes from WWII. gunners on airplanes might want to load 27 feet of bullets (a million container) in a gun at a time. they could say "supply him the entire 9 yards!" as in promote off the gun on him.

Answer 6

The phrase actually started being used well after the second world war. One of the earliest users of this phrase was a US Navy pilot Captain Richard Stratton, who became one of the best known prisoners of war in North Vietnam during the conflict. Captain Stratton has clear memories of having heard it at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, in July 1955, in reference to the following joke:


The Continuing Saga of the Courtship of Andrew MacTavish and Mary Margaret MacDuff

Andy resolved to knit a scarf for his beloved Margaret Mary as a birthday present. As usual in his enthusiasm he kept on knitting and knitting until the scarf extended some nine yards of extremely florid colors and ugly pattern. However, it was a measure of his love for Margaret Mary.

On Saturday night, Andy went out drinking with the boys, wearing his kilt and having Margaret Mary's gift wrapped around his neck. Naturally his shipmates in the course of the evening made great fun of the ugly accoutrement.

Well after midnight and well into his cups, Andy was having second
thoughts about the present he had lavished so much attention upon. He decided that the only way to resolve his doubts was to show the scarf to Margaret Mary, without indicating that it was her present, and get a sense of her approval and delight.

So, drunk as a skunk, Andy took off over hill and dale, through the heath and heather and stumbling across stone walls and bushy obstacles. In his enthusiasm and rising ardour at the thought of seeing Margaret Mary and that in her night clothes, he didn't realize that he had not only lost the scarf but also his kilt.

Sexually stimulated, buck-naked from the waist down (answering the question as to what a Scotsman wears under his kilts), and with a massive erection, Andy starts throwing stones at Margaret Mary's second story bedroom window. After displacing about a yard of gravel, Margaret Mary sleepily opens the window and gazes with amazement at her betrothed in all his glory.

Andy, still well out of it, shouts: "Margaret Mary, I have made this,
wrapped around my neck, just for you? I am going to give it to you on your birthday. How do you like it?"

Margaret Mary, forever the shy maiden, looks with amazement at her beloved and becomes fixated on his lower extremity; being the first time she has ever seen such a thing. She is at a loss for words.

Andy again shouts: "Well girl, how do you like it?"

Nonplused, staring at his impressively engorged member she stuttered out:
"Just fine, Andy dear, just fine. It is magnificent."

Andy, still seeking more praise for the results of his knitting industry expended on the missing scarf and conscious of the ridicule of his friends asked: "The whole nine yards?"


Whether or not it's funny is, of course, totally up to you!

Answer 7

In years long past, cloth was sold in bolts that were 9 yrds. That's where this expression came from.

Answer 8

It means to go as for as you can to achieve something.

Answer 9

Give it your all..