the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

The absolute truth about something, without omission, embellishment, or alteration. Used to swear in witnesses while giving evidence in court, and used by extension in other contexts. Place your hand on the Bible—do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Where did the money go? Tell me the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
See also: and, but, nothing, truth, whole
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth

the full and unvarnished truth.
These words are part of the statement sworn by witnesses giving evidence in court. They are often used informally to emphasize the absolute veracity of a statement.
See also: and, but, nothing, truth, whole
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • count in
  • damn well
  • come in
  • come in a certain position
  • come on in
  • a cold day in Hell
  • as one does
  • Fanny's your aunt
  • DYSWIDT?
  • empty into
References in periodicals archive
"The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" has remained concealed in Government documents for the past 30 years.
We deserve the truth on miners' strike; Views of Wales
That is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
The truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth
Then, when cases involving terrorists come to court, the juries would be hearing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth David Anderson,Dunbartonshire
Your view: Drug of truth
They cannot tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" without admitting that they really intend to shackle the planet instead of saving it.
The power of truth. (The Last Word)
John Heilemann The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth: The Untold Story of the Microsoft Antitrust Case Wired, November 2000
The Washington Monthly Journalism Award
Yah!" The spin-doctor study will show that telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth shall, in some cases, set them free from employment.
Next 25 years will be stranger than fiction (for communicators)
Such notions, suggests Daniels, help explain some of Wonder Woman s crime-fighting accoutrements, especially her "magic lasso" that--shades of a lie detector!--forces men to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
William Marston's secret identity: The strange private life of wonder woman's creator. (Cultures & Reviews)
Probably I'm naive, but I have to say that I'm repelled by the sight of platoons of corporate executives, on Capitol Hill as well as in the courts, who swear to tell--but who tell nothing like-- the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. And I'm appalled when they tell nothing like the truth about conduct that has exposed dozens, hundreds, or even tens of thousands of human beings to avoidable disease, injury, and death.
The artful dodgers
One need not have any special training in the law, however, to realize that not every failure to relate the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth properly results in a perjury indictment.
Piling on the prez