Antonyms for whole nine yards


Grammar : Adj, adv, noun
Spell : yahrd
Phonetic Transcription : yɑrd


Definition of whole nine yards

Origin :
  • by 1970, of unknown origin; perhaps arbitrary (cf. cloud nine). Among the guesses that have been made without real evidence: concrete mixer trucks were said to have dispensed in this amount. Or the yard may be in the slang sense of "one hundred dollars."
  • Several similar phrases meaning "everything" arose in the 1940s (whole ball of wax, which is likewise of obscure origin, whole schmear); older examples include whole hog (see hog (n.)) and whole shooting match (1896); whole shebang (1895).
  • As in unabbreviated : adj complete
  • As in uncensored : adj complete
  • As in uncut : adj complete
  • As in unexpurgated : adj complete
  • As in complete : adj total, not lacking
  • As in gross : adj whole
  • As in flat-out : adv at top speed
  • As in whole : noun total made up of parts
  • As in full monty : noun the whole thing
  • As in whole caboodle : noun whole works
  • As in whole hog : noun fullest extent
  • As in all : noun whole; totality
  • As in entirety : noun wholeness, whole

Synonyms for whole nine yards

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019