The Whole Nine Yards

**Southern Breeze** · 6th February 06, 07:15 PM

This is one of those sayings that likely has multiple beginnings.Who knows where it started. :grin:
As for the ammunition belts, the water cooled Brownings used 250 round cloth belts.They saw action originally in WWI. Later metal link belts were devolped that could be joined to make any length.

**haukehaien** · 6th February 06, 08:23 PM

The machine-gun belt explanation simply doesn't work. (All of these things have been pointed out before, but people keep ignoring them)

1) MG belts are measured in rounds. Not feet, not yards, not metres, not Babylonian cubits nor any other unit of length. If a unit besides rounds were to be used, it would most likely be weight, that being the thing that would concern a pilot or trooper.
2) If the phrase did come from WWII MG terminology, why doesn't it show up until the 1960s? We've got lots and lots of writing from that war, plenty of accounts by people who lived and fought through it... and nobody uses the phrase until the mid 60s.

My suspicion is that it is going to be extremely difficult to track down. If Cecil Adams, Evan Morris, and Melanie and Mike of Take Our Word For It (www.takeourword.com) can't come up with an answer, then the answer is very obscure indeed. What this means for us is this: any answer we have, which does not come with an appropriate citation and time period, is almost certainly wrong. Of the explanations posted, the dirty joke seems the most likely. It has the right time period, it's not related to anything in real life (which would explain why nobody's been able to point at something and say, "See! ______s have always been nine yards long!")

The world may never know.

**Moosehead** · 7th February 06, 05:50 AM

Any sources? As you can see, theories abound to the origin, but nothing with any substance from a research perspective.

I'm from Missouri, so you'll have to "Show Me"!

Todd

What am I, a lawyer?

Actually, just found that surfing around, so don't ask me where, 'cause I'd probably never find it again.

**macwilkin** · 7th February 06, 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by Moosehead

What am I, a lawyer?

Actually, just found that surfing around, so don't ask me where, 'cause I'd probably never find it again.

Nope...but I'm a librarian and a history teacher! :mrgreen:

Be careful with the 'net -- I tell my students that every semester. ;)

Todd

**Moosehead** · 7th February 06, 07:26 AM

Grasshopper hears you, Master.

**arrogcow** · 7th February 06, 08:52 AM

For what it is worth, 10 years ago when I had material woven for my first kilt (private weaver), she told me that I needed 9 yards for a kilt. Granted I know more now.

Additionally one of the Welsh Cilt makers sells 9, 10 and 11 yard kilts.

Adam

**freddie** · 5th January 07, 12:46 PM

A British or English phrase meaning exactly the same thing is 'the full monty'. Apparantly this phrase was coined following the opening artillary barrage at the Battle of El Alemain (not the right spelling I know) which was ordered by the British General Montgomery. British troops said the enemy had received 'the full Monty' (Montgomery's nickname) so a military source for the phrase 'the whole nine yards' is very plausible.