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ElwoodBlues · M
I've heard multiple hypotheses for the origin of the phrase. The first I heard was that the capacity of a cement truck is 9 cubic yards.
[quote] The phrase dates to the mid-19th Century, long before machineguns of any kind and is most likely about tailors making clothing - and including all 9 yards of a standard bolt of cloth in whatever piece of clothing, when less would have done better - hence, taking something as far as you possibly can, for no real purpose except to give it your all. [/quote]
[quote]Some people say it dates back to when square-riggers had three masts, each with three yards supporting the sails, so the whole nine yards meant the sails were fully set.[/quote]
More details here:
[b]https://www.npr.org/2013/01/14/169140590/-the-whole-nine-yards-of-what [/b]
[quote] The phrase dates to the mid-19th Century, long before machineguns of any kind and is most likely about tailors making clothing - and including all 9 yards of a standard bolt of cloth in whatever piece of clothing, when less would have done better - hence, taking something as far as you possibly can, for no real purpose except to give it your all. [/quote]
[quote]Some people say it dates back to when square-riggers had three masts, each with three yards supporting the sails, so the whole nine yards meant the sails were fully set.[/quote]
More details here:
[b]https://www.npr.org/2013/01/14/169140590/-the-whole-nine-yards-of-what [/b]
GlitterEater · 36-40, F
Piper · 61-69, F
Maybe, just maybe, that [b]is[/b] the [i]real[/i] origin of the expression. 😶🌫️
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Piper · 61-69, F
@DrWatson I sailed from the Outer Banks to Florida. Some of of that long, rather nightmarish trip was at sea, and much of it was on The Intracoastal Waterway. The boat was...is a 59 foot ferro-cement hulled sailing vessel with a diesel engine. That trip could be described as a comedy of errors. So much so, that the older gentleman who agreed to come along submitted an article to Sail magazine about it.
The trip to Key West was at least a better, as far as things going wrong.
The trip to Key West was at least a better, as far as things going wrong.
Nimbus · M
The European eqivalent being 8.2296 metres just doesn't sound so good ;)
smiler2012 · 56-60
@Nimbus 🤫twenty seven feet nimby the equtvalent having nine jake the pegs
Justmeraeagain · 56-60, F
Interesting 🤔
Musicman · 61-69, M
I had no idea. 🙂