The whole nine yards means everything, the full works. It often ends a list, like and everything else: a stage, costumes, lighting, the whole nine yards. Go the whole nine yards means going all out. Nobody knows where the yards came from: there are many theories, from machine-gun belts to cloth for a suit, but none is proven.
When would you say the whole nine yards?
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go the whole nine yards; a list + the whole nine yards
- For the school play, they built a stage, made costumes, added lighting—the whole nine yards.
- We decided to go the whole nine yards and restore every room.
- The workshop covers planning, materials, tools and finishing: the whole nine yards.
What changed
First versionThey went all the nine yards with the decorations.
RevisionThey went the whole nine yards with the decorations.
All feels like the natural word for everything, so all the nine yards seems logical. But the idiom uses whole: the whole nine yards. Replace all the with the whole, and the phrase sounds right.
Go the extra mile means making more effort than expected. The whole nine yards is the complete set, everything possible: The party had music, lights, a cake, the whole nine yards. In business writing, everything included or the full package is safer.
Your turn
Complete the idiom meaning everything possible: They went the ___ nine yards.
Show the answer
whole — The idiom uses only whole: the whole nine yards. The all nine yards isn't English.
Describe a celebration or renovation where everything possible was done. Use the whole nine yards at the end of a list.
We made invitations, baked a cake and decorated the garden—the whole nine yards.
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