# The whole nine yards

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards/1753>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 13, 2000, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards/1753 "2000-04-13T18:55:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tomrosetti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/258eb7/32.png) [@tomrosetti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomrosetti)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards/1753/1 "2000-04-13T18:55:00Z")

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I have read in various “origin of” sources that the “whole nine yards” referred to the 27 feet of machine gun ammo carried by WWII fighter craft. A pilot who had given his all would have delivered the whole nine yards.

Tom

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**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\
**Post date:** [April 13, 2000, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards/1753/2 "2000-04-13T21:01:00Z")

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tomrosetti, you have hit upon an oft-discussed topic!

Cecil’s column: [What’s the origin of “the whole nine yards”?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_252.html)  
You might be interested in these previous discussions:

[the whole nine yards](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000103.html)

[The Whole Nine Yards Explanation](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000241.html)

[yards, and nine of them …](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/000532.html)

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**Author:** ![tomrosetti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/258eb7/32.png) [@tomrosetti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomrosetti)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2000, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards/1753/3 "2000-04-14T00:31:00Z")

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[QUOTE]  
Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried:  
\*\*tomrosetti, you have hit upon an oft-discussed topic!

Yes, I was reviewing the archive and had meant to add that comment to the discussion, but being new to the group I did’t know how to get there. Opting for the most prominent button, I chose to “start” a new topic.

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**Author:** ![Danielinthewolvesden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Danielinthewolvesden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Danielinthewolvesden)\
**Post date:** [April 21, 2000, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-whole-nine-yards/1753/4 "2000-04-21T08:32:00Z")

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However, there is one other thing. Cece said in his last book that the only question that has not been satisfactorily answered is the “piss shiver” Q. But this one was never nailed down. Cece did go the WNY, but no TD!  
😃