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  • Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Idioms

  • 288. Today we're actually going to cover two idioms and they're both very similar

  • in meaning. So that's what we're covering both at the same time. The first one is

  • actually "to the nines" but it's probably most often heard as "dressed to the

  • nines" and the other one is "dressed to kill. " All right. Let's continue. The idiom to

  • the nines means to the greatest degree or to the greatest perfection. Okay.

  • It tends to be most often used in the phrase "dress to the nines. " There are

  • several theories of the origin of this idiom you know, how it came about. One is

  • that it came from the 99th Wiltshire regimen known as the nines. So that

  • therefore that's where the nines would come in. And they were famous for their

  • stylish high-class uniforms. Okay so this is one possible theory. Others think it

  • may be related to the nine muses of art and learning in classical mythology. Okay.

  • Or possibly the Nine Worthies who consisted of distinguished historical

  • figures that that medieval scholars ... you know, scholars during the Middle Ages.

  • Medieval scholars thought were worthy and Noble including such notable figures.

  • So these are just some of them that you know, more people would know such as

  • Julius Caesar is one. King Arthur, Alexander. Probably Alexander the Great,

  • Hector that might be from Troy maybe. I don't know but those are some of the

  • more notable ones. So the nine worthies. So, so those are three possible theories of

  • where they think you know, to the nines came from. Okay. Let's continue. Let's go

  • to the next idiom now. If someone especially a woman he's dressed to kill.

  • She is dressed in a very fashionable attractive and usually in sexy clothes.

  • Could you use it with a man ? Maybe but you know, I think about it maybe

  • like James Bond. Maybe James Bond was dressed to kill.

  • You know, when he went to the casino you know, it's a gamble. It would it would

  • have to be something like that. I think it's much more often used for women,

  • especially when they dressed in a very high-class sexy way. We might say dressed

  • to kill. Okay. All right. Let's continue. Okay.

  • Some believe the origin of this term comes from Napoleon's Imperial Guards.

  • So all the soldiers who were an elite group in charge of protecting Napoleon. You

  • know, back at that time they were probably like his personal bodyguards.

  • They were usually dressed in uniforms that looked like tuxedos with tails you

  • know, like when you have a tuxedo when you have that part that's hanging in the

  • back. So they had tails and everything was of the best quality. So a lot of

  • people think dressed to kill came from that. So anybody that touched Napoleon

  • would be killed. So they were dressed to kill. I guess that's the idea behind it.

  • All right. Anyway when we give three examples here to cover the rest of this.

  • So here's the first example. She was dressed to kill for a hot date.

  • You know, maybe just very beautiful. Maybe some sexy evening gown. We might say it

  • that way. Or number two here. The royal family dressed to the nines for Prince

  • Harry's wedding. Yeah. That would be a typical way. Or you can say all the

  • celebrities will dress to the nines for the Academy Awards. Okay. Anyway, I hope

  • you got it. I hope you enjoyed it. I hope you,

  • you thought it was informative. Thank you for your time.

  • Bye-bye.

Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Idioms

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