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The Origin of Words and Phrases: Volume 1

Everything Everywhere Daily

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The Origin of the Whole Nine Yards

The whole nine yards could just be an example of idiom inflation. Once you say whole, it doesn't really matter what comes next. The phrase may have something to do with the amount of ammunition used in fighter aircraft during World War II. There still isn't any definitive proof one way or the other as to the origin of the whole nine yards.

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