What does the phrase "the whole nine yards" mean?

Answer 1

One plausible origin is from WWII. The British Spitfire plane was very agile and successful fighter aircraft against the German aircraft. The wing mounted machine guns ammunition belts were 9 yards long. So if you emptied your guns you gave 'em the whole nine yards.

Answer 2

This is strictly my own supposition - I've never heard or read it anywhere - but the phrase seems to me to be too old to refer to World War 2 machine guns, or there being nine cubic yards of concrete in a mixer truck, or anything like that.
I think the "yards" are the crossmembers attached to masts and from which sails are hung (we still occasionally talk about "hanging someone from the yardarm").
I think of a three-masted sailing ship with three yards on each mast. Thus, when under full sail, "the whole nine yards" would have their canvas unfurled.

Answer 3

I have heard that it is a military term that refers to the length of a machine gunners ammunition. I have also heard that it took 9 yards of clothing to make a traditional wedding dress???

Answer 4

i think its a football thing,, the whole nine yards (means to finish something) or complete something, all of something.

Answer 5

It means everything that comes with whatever the subject or object is. Like, telling someone the truth is telling him everything he needs to know to make him believe it's the truth.

Answer 6

It's a slang term meaning, 'in its entirety, or complete, or the whole thing' or similar to those.

Answer 7

go all the way, finish what you are doing FULLY, don't just stop in the middle of something