Does anyone know where the phrase “The Whole Ball of Wax” came from?
“Drink your coffee! Remember, there are people sleeping in China.”
Dennis Matheson — dennis@mountaindiver.com
Hike, Dive, Ski, Climb — www.mountaindiver.com
Long story short–we don’t know fer sure:
Here’s what I’ve heard: Back in England a zillion years ago it was common for a deceased person’s estate to be devided up among their heirs by drawing balls of wax out of a hat. Wrapped in each ball was a piece of paper with “cottage” or “jewlery” or “spitoon” written on it. If an heir whined “Is that all?” The executor would answer, “Yep, that’s the whole ball of wax.”
Unfortunately the phrase can only be traced back to the 1960s, when it was a favorite phrase of Mad. Ave. ad men.
Elmer J. Fudd,
Millionaire.
I own a mansion and a yacht.
I just knew this question would come up next! I bet there was a fierce rivalry between that dude with the market on the “whole nine yards” market and the “wax” business.
Perhaps, someone was reading assembly directions of yore: A) Cut the whole nine yards…but first! B) Use the whole ball of wax…
Maybe it’s just none of our beeswax?
Well, I started to add “and did the whole ball of wax contain the whole nine yards of wax?” but thought better of it.
Thanks for the web site Mjollnir; now I have a place to look for these things.
C’mon,Mr Fudd, heirs pulling balls out of a hat? You got me pulling my hair. The Word Detecitve at the link said the same thing but he was talking through his hat. There weren’t no such a law. I was going to cobble up an expalanation that the saying was sea related, sailors had to sew heavy canvas,and cobblers leather. The heavy cord is easier to pull through the thick materials by pulling it through a ball of wax first. Once the wax is used up it’s all she wrote, you’ve shot your wad,jobs done or there is no point in continuing. But I don’t know where I heard that, I may be whistling in the wind. Word origins is not my bailiwick. Bailiwick: a village and the area around it or under its control. Total area under the control of an authority, official, or owner. Hence, subject of expertise. Used to be a squire could own not only the Manor House but the local village,the farms,bee hives, and land all around,and a first born son or a lucky heir would get it all. Not so lucky the local butcher, baker,and candlestick maker, they could inherit the tools of their trade. In the case of the candlestick maker,and possibly the apiarist and the cobbler, that might include a whole ball of wax,but not the whole bailiwick.
“Pardon me while I have a strange interlude.”-Marx