whole nine yards

whole nine yards

Meaning

• everything, all of something
• in its entirety, all of it
• the whole of something, full measure
• everything that is possible

Example Sentences

1. She is the love of my life. For her, I'll go the whole nine yards.
2. The mountain trail was a difficult one, but I wanted to go the whole nine yards.
3. We have watched every single episode of this serial, from the first to the final one, the whole nine yards.
4. He has a toolkit with every kind of tool in all sizes – jacks, wrenches, screwdrivers – the whole nine yards.
5. I'll do whatever it takes to make my venture a successful one – I'll go the whole nine yards.
6. The story was interesting, but we had to leave midway. We didn't get the whole nine yards.
7. This is going to be difficult; we want a person who can go the whole nine yards.
8. It was an adventurous tour, but we didn't go the whole nine yards.

Origin

The origin of this phrase is unclear. There are many beliefs about the origin, however, none have been proven. The earliest use is believed to be in 1907 in America, but it became popular during the 1960s.