Whole 9 Yards: Idioms, Etymology, & Origins

Whole 9 Yards: Idioms, Etymology, & Origins

Whole 9 Yards is a weekly podcast that will simultaneously educate, astonish, and amuse. Listen while we share equivocal research about the origin of words, phrases, and idioms we use every day. From the team at Big Science Pods, we bring you the whole 9 yards, the entire kit and caboodle, the whole shebang of this quick, entertaining look at our language and the history therein. Learn why we call New York "The Big Apple," what "red-handed" REALLY means and why sometimes people are "happy as a clam." So, let's cut to the chase, if you jump on the bandwagon now, the first 100 subscribers will be entered to win a Big Science Snuggie. Have a question about an idiom? Wanna drop us a line because you think we’re funny... or, not? Think we’re mistaken about any information we’ve shared? Hit us up at heyyou@whole9yards.org. We’re waiting with bated breath!

Episodes

June 26, 2026 35 mins

Episode 258: Jay & Ray cross the threshold into a world of old idioms.

  • threshold
  • gimp

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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Episode 322: Jay & Ray do a number on a few new idioms.

  • believe you me
  • do a number on

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com
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June 12, 2026 39 mins

Episode 321: Jay & Ray are confused by a few old idioms.

  • piss and vinegar
  • flummox

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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June 5, 2026 29 mins

Episode 320: Jay & Ray get cool with a few old idioms.

  • boondoggle
  • cool as a cucumber

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com
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May 29, 2026 27 mins

Episode 319: Jay & Ray groove with some Gs.

  • disgruntle
  • grub

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

some of the W9Y source...

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May 22, 2026 25 mins

Episode 318: Jay & Ray get squared away with some idioms.

  • spic and span
  • squared away

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com
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May 15, 2026 36 mins

Episode 317: Jay & Ray have idioms flying out their wazoo.

  • teetotaller
  • wazoo

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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May 8, 2026 31 mins

Episode 203: Jay & Ray enjoy the scent of some idioms.

  • p.u.
  • tit for tat

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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Episode 315: Jay & Ray have some piping hot idioms.

  • piping hot
  • bellwether

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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April 24, 2026 29 mins

Episode 314: Jay & Ray have some skin in the game.

  • skin in the game
  • trip the light fantastic

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic....

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April 17, 2026 30 mins

Episode 313: Jay & Ray take a few old idioms to court.

  • break the ice
  • kangaroo court

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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April 10, 2026 33 mins

Episode 312: Jay & Ray slice up some old food idioms.

  • cheesy
  • in a nutshell

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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April 3, 2026 24 mins

Episode 311: Jay & Ray hash out some food idioms.

  • sour grapes
  • just desserts

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

some o...

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March 27, 2026 38 mins

Episode 310: Jay & Ray take a thunderous approach to old etymologies.

  • steal your thunder
  • why is Macbeth referred to as 'The Scottish Play?'

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab ...

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March 20, 2026 32 mins

Episode 309: Jay & Ray toast to some new idioms.

  • here's mud in your eye
  • stingy

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

som...

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March 13, 2026 35 mins

Episode 308: Jay & Ray stitch up a few old idioms.

  • know the ropes
  • hell bent for leather

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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March 6, 2026 29 mins

Episode 307: Jay & Ray learn about a few old odds and ends.

  • scuttlebutt
  • odds and ends

Expressway (To Your Heart)

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad ...

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February 27, 2026 34 mins

Episode 306: Jay & Ray get chilly with a few old idioms.

  • full bore
  • arctic

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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February 20, 2026 37 mins

Episode 305: Jay & Ray take a bite of out of old food idioms.

  • carboy
  • zest

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com

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February 13, 2026 30 mins

Episode 304: Jay & Ray pull a old magical idioms out of their hats.

  • open sesame
  • hokum

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Big Science Music is an award-winning original music and sound boutique. Providing scoring, sound design, radio, podcast, and all audio-post production services for the advertising, film, and video industries. Grab a taste of the groove salad at bigsciencemusic.com
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