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sum1
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:58 am
Post subject: The Full Nine Yards |
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I wonder, has the expression
going the full nine yards
popped up in British English usage yet?
I've heard it on American radio 2 or 3 times recently, and once in a
newsgroup message.
It's in the context of, for example,
He's going the full nine yards on this issue
I intend to go the full nine yards on this one
Irritatingly, I find myself unable to deduce the possible
derivation of this phrase. Some sporting or athletic reference, maybe?
27 feet doesn't seem much of an achievement though, except maybe ina
nose-pushing-pea contest . . . .
--
Ian |
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Ivan
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2005 7:18 am
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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sum1 wrote:
| Quote: | I wonder, has the expression
going the full nine yards
popped up in British English usage yet?
I've heard it on American radio 2 or 3 times recently, and once in a
newsgroup message.
It's in the context of, for example,
He's going the full nine yards on this issue
I intend to go the full nine yards on this one
Irritatingly, I find myself unable to deduce the possible
derivation of this phrase. Some sporting or athletic reference, maybe?
27 feet doesn't seem much of an achievement though, except maybe ina
nose-pushing-pea contest . . . .
--
Ian
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The expression is the "whole nine yards." No one in America uses
"full." Maybe you can change it when it gets to the UK. There are many
theories as to its derivation (just google "whole nine yards"). The
most likely, IMO, is that it is the length of an ammunition belt for an
automatic weapon (machine gun). |
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sum1
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:12 am
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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vorotyntsev@yahoo.com wrote:
| Quote: | sum1 wrote:
I wonder, has the expression
going the full nine yards
..... |
| Quote: | The expression is the "whole nine yards." No one in America uses
"full." Maybe you can change it when it gets to the UK. There are many
Yes - I believe it was 'whole'. |
| Quote: | theories as to its derivation (just google "whole nine yards"). The
most likely, IMO, is that it is the length of an ammunition belt for an
automatic weapon (machine gun).
Yeah, that one does seem to fit, thanks. |
--
Ian |
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Erick Andrews
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:17 am
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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On Sun, 26 Jun 2005 19:12:31 UTC, sum1@flash.net (sum1) wrote:
| Quote: | vorotyntsev@yahoo.com wrote:
sum1 wrote:
I wonder, has the expression
going the full nine yards
....
The expression is the "whole nine yards." No one in America uses
"full." Maybe you can change it when it gets to the UK. There are many
Yes - I believe it was 'whole'.
theories as to its derivation (just google "whole nine yards"). The
most likely, IMO, is that it is the length of an ammunition belt for an
automatic weapon (machine gun).
Yeah, that one does seem to fit, thanks.
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I agree. It's also like saying "the whole ball of wax".
--
Best,
Erick Andrews
delete bogus to reply |
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Paul Burke
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:13 pm
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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sum1 wrote:
| Quote: | He's going the full nine yards on this issue
I intend to go the full nine yards on this one
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It's US hyperbole. The equivalent British phrase would be 'going the
whole nine inches'.
Paul Burke |
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Nick Wagg
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2005 2:21 pm
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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"Ivan" <vorotyntsev@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1119751151.229250.116620@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: |
The expression is the "whole nine yards." No one in America uses
"full." Maybe you can change it when it gets to the UK. There are many
theories as to its derivation (just google "whole nine yards"). The
most likely, IMO, is that it is the length of an ammunition belt for an
automatic weapon (machine gun).
|
The whole nine yards is pretty long for any old machine gun.
Certainly too unwieldy for use by the army. I heard that it
was the length of the ammo belts of the guns in yankee bombers. |
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grusl
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 7:30 pm
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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Ivan wrote:
| Quote: |
The expression is the "whole nine yards." No one in America uses
"full." Maybe you can change it when it gets to the UK. There are many
theories as to its derivation (just google "whole nine yards"). The
most likely, IMO, is that it is the length of an ammunition belt for an
automatic weapon (machine gun).
|
Alas no one seems to know where the saying came from. The first known
use appeared in a book in the 1960s, which tends to rule out a 1940s
coining. Numerous discussions on alt.folklore.urban, at.usage.english
and soc.history.world-war-ii have failed to identify the real
etymology. Although we hate to admit it, some things are just lost to
history.
Cheers,
George W. Russell
Bangalore |
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sum1
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:23 pm
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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paul@scazon.com wrote:
| Quote: |
It's US hyperbole. The equivalent British phrase would be 'going the
whole nine inches'.
Paul Burke
" Only in the mating season . . . ." |
(Spike Milligan)
--
Ian |
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sum1
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2005 8:23 pm
Post subject: Re: The Full Nine Yards |
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george.w.russell@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Ivan wrote:
The expression is the "whole nine yards." No one in America uses
"full." Maybe you can change it when it gets to the UK. There are many
theories as to its derivation (just google "whole nine yards"). The
most likely, IMO, is that it is the length of an ammunition belt for an
automatic weapon (machine gun).
Alas no one seems to know where the saying came from. The first known
use appeared in a book in the 1960s, which tends to rule out a 1940s
coining. Numerous discussions on alt.folklore.urban, at.usage.english
and soc.history.world-war-ii have failed to identify the real
etymology. Although we hate to admit it, some things are just lost to
history.
Cheers,
George W. Russell
Bangalore
OH, - coming across it three times in a couple of weeks, |
and new to me I assumed it was newly minted.
--
Ian |
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