Settle an argument for me, who developed the F4U's curved approach for carrier landings.

[buffnut453]

Pretty much the first explanation I heard many years ago too.

The problem is there are examples of the phrase being used long before 50 cal ammo belts were even thought of (e.g. pre-WW1).

 

[GrauGeist]

I doubt I could even find the artical I read many years ago, online, but we had a heated argument in the shop about the origins of the expression so I looked it up one evening.

I recall that the expression had been first noted in a British newspaper in the 1800's and was in reference to garments.
What it had been in reference to, I forget - it may have been regarding Indian women's garments (Sari), which do, in fact, use between 6 and 9 yards of fabric.

 

[33k in the air]

The origin of the whole nine yards is probably never going to be settled although there are mid 1800's references which equate to
other phrases such as the whole ball of wax and the whole enchilada. One reference was the silly woman story where a man told
his wife to buy enough material to make three shirts and she used 'the whole nine yards and made just one'.

Just to muddy it further, in Kentucky and South Carolina a similar expression to the whole ball of wax used to be 'the whole six yards'.
Inflation ?

Regarding idioms, "the greatest thing since sliced bread" poses an obvious question: what was the greatest thing before sliced bread came along? Apparently, to something I heard or read somewhere long ago, it was "the greatest thing since radio."

 

[special ed]

I suspect phrases have been adapted to current events through the years, especially if they fit well.

 

[GrauGeist]

Before sliced bread, it was canned beer!

 

[buffnut453]

I thought it was canned prunes. Admittedly, it was a low bar to improve on that.

 

[pbehn]

Regarding idioms, "the greatest thing since sliced bread" poses an obvious question: what was the greatest thing before sliced bread came along? Apparently, to something I heard or read somewhere long ago, it was "the greatest thing since radio."

Wrapped bread according to this. "An American inventor named Otto Rohwedder devised a machine that sliced a loaf of bread into individual slices. First sold in 1928, it was touted as "the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped," which led to popular phrase "the best thing since sliced bread."

 

[SaparotRob]

Wrapped bread according to this. "An American inventor named Otto Rohwedder devised a machine that sliced a loaf of bread into individual slices. First sold in 1928, it was touted as "the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped," which led to popular phrase "the best thing since sliced bread."

I like it and I'm sticking with it.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Slicing bread makes it go stale faster. More surface area = more oxidation. /baguette-lover

 

[GrauGeist]

Leave the heel(s) in place, it keeps the slices next to it fresh - plus when the loaf is down to the two heels, make garlic-parmesean toast.

Winning!

 

[special ed]

You youngsters don't remember when beer came in steel cans and you needed a church key to open it.

 

[SaparotRob]

I still have my Schaeffer Beer church key.

 

[special ed]

They used to free at the bars provided by the brewers for advetising.

 

[GrauGeist]

You can still get a free "church key" when you buy paint - the lid opener has a bottle opener on the other end.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

You youngsters don't remember when beer came in steel cans and you needed a church key to open it.

Crap, I guess I'm not a youngster! That was how Dad had to do it.

 

[33k in the air]

You youngsters don't remember when beer came in steel cans and you needed a church key to open it.

Stubby bottles. Remember stubby beer bottles?

 

[SaparotRob]

The more you drank them, the better they looked.

 

[soulezoo]

I have a Lucky Lager church key somewhere.

 

[soulezoo]

Stubby bottles. Remember stubby beer bottles?

Original Coors Yellow Jacket. Still available.
The Lucky Lager I just mentioned in previous post used the stubbies with twist off caps. Under the caps was a puzzle akin to the old game show "Concentration" IIRC.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

The more you drank them, the better they looked.

Funny, works with wimmenfolk too.