"the whole ball of wax"

Forums: English, Idioms, The Whole Ball Of Wax
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What is the origin of the idiom "the whole ball of wax", how did this idiom come into being? I know it means the overall detail of something, but what is the story of this idiom? Thanks a lot!

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Type: Question • Score: 5 • Views: 1,332 • Replies: 8

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@avalipeng,

I don't think it's well known, but here's what I could find: http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=243022

Among these speculations, this is the one with the oldest reference:

Quote:

THE WHOLE BALL OF WAX---Everything included.---"She got the whole ball
of wax."---Old English law. The division of land in an estate. Parcels
of land or property were written on a small piece of paper and wrapped
in a ball of wax. The balls of wax were placed in a hat and each heir
took a ball of wax and his parcel was described within. Being the only
heir you received the whole ball of wax.

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@FBM,

I guess that doesn't work for 'The whole enchilada'.

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@roger,

I'm not going to even try to find that one.

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@roger,

"the whole enchilada" means "the whole responsibility"?

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@FBM,

thank you very much, that helps a lot!

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@avalipeng,

Quote:

"the whole enchilada" means "the whole responsibility"?

It means the whole thing, complete in its entirety.

See also "the full nine yards". Also "lock, stock and barrel".

My mother used to say, "the whole jing-bang". But that's local only.

"the whole ball of wax"

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