| Definitions | | the whole nine yards |
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idiom
- (idiom) all the way, All the way; with everything done completely or thoroughly.
- They really went with this party.
- (idiom) And everything. Often used, like etc., etc., to finish out a list.
- They put up balloons, baked a cake, sent out invitations".
- They have books, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, .
Etymology: Unknown, but many theories exist.<ref>cite web, last = Adams, first = Cecil, date = 1987-04-10, with updates since, url = http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_252.html, title = The Straight Dope: What's the origin of "the whole nine yards"?, accessdate = 2007-06-21</ref><ref>cite web, last = Quinion, first = Michael, date = 1999-03-20, last updated 2005-06-30, url = http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/nineyards.htm, title = World Wide Words: The Whole Nine Yards, accessdate = 2007-06-21</ref><ref>cite web, last = Martin, first = Gary, url = http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/the-whole-nine-yards.html, title = The whole nine yards, accessdate = 2007-06-21</ref>The earliest known print appearance in these senses is in an article by Stephen Trumbell in the 1964-04-25 Tuscon Daily Citizen, titled "Talking Hip in the Space Age" and discussing NASA jargon: ""Give "em the whole nine yards" means an item-by-item report on any project."<ref>cite web, last = Zimmer, first = Benjamin, date = 2007-06-21, url = http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/004623.html, title = Language Log: Great moments in antedating, accessdate = 2007-06-21</ref>The synonymous variant "all nine yards" appeared in a letter from Gale F. Linster to the editor of the 1962-12 Car Life.<ref>cite web, last = Zimmer, first = Benjamin, date = 2007-11-12, url = http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/005107.html, title = Language Log: Great moments in antedating, part 2: all nine yards of goodies, accessdate = 2007-11-13</ref>
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