nine ways to sunday

[kpkroy]

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?

 

[emsr2d2]

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?

Can you give us some context? I don't think I've ever heard this phrase, using any number!

 

[SoothingDave]

Not a teacher.

It's "six ways to Sunday" that I'm familiar with. The actual number does not matter. It's just saying there are a large number of combinations.

 

[TheParser]

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.

 

[kpkroy]

thank you

even knowing that it is not widely used idiom helps