there seems to be several versions of this
nine ways to sunday
seven ways to sunday
seven ways from sunday
...
please, how do they differ? what do the numbers mean?
what do they all mean? are they all different?
********** NOT A TEACHER **********
Hello, Kpkroy.
(1) In the part of the United States where I live, I do not
think that people use this idiom very often.
(2) I think (only think) that maybe it is used more frequently
in other parts of this very big country.
(3) I googled it and wish to report my findings:
(a) There are many versions:
six/seven/nine ways
to Sunday.
six/seven/nine ways
from Sunday.
(b)
No one seems to know how this idiom started.
(c) I found an explanation from a Canadian gentleman who
has a reputation for giving knowledgeable answers to English
learners (and native speakers!!!).
(i) According to him, this idiom means:
completely.
(ii) Here is his example:
I played tennis with Tom and beat him seven ways from Sunday.
He explained that he chose
seven because that word starts with
the same sound that
Sunday begins with. It sounds nice to English
speakers.
(4) I learned a lot in researching your question, so thank you
for asking it.