# The whole nine yards-origin

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards-origin/169267>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 17, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards-origin/169267 "2003-04-17T07:52:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![greenvegan80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@greenvegan80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greenvegan80)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards-origin/169267/1 "2003-04-17T07:52:01Z")

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I read somewhere that the expression “the whole nine yards” came from garment making. Bolts of cloth being nine yards in length, it was certainly going all out if the whole thing was used.

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**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards-origin/169267/2 "2003-04-17T13:35:51Z")

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Welcome to the SDMB. Did you actually read [What’s the origin of “the whole nine yards”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_252.html)