whole enchilada

plural rare whole enchiladas

1. USidiomaticslangAll of something; also, all of a group of related things taken in totality.First known use mid 20th c.

   They need a fall guy for the whole enchilada.

   1984, William Diehl, “Longnose Graves”, in Hooligans, New York, N.Y.: Villard Books, →ISBN, page 355

   5 more examples

   Who started the expression, "The whole enchilada?" It's around now …

   “Earl Wilson on Broadway: Pickpockets, artists and models, stewardesses and other characters”, in The Houston Post, number 211, Houston, Tex.: Houston Printing Company, 1 November 1951, →ISSN, →OCLC, section 1, page 19, column 4

   Jimmy [i.e., James] Cagney is directing his first picture, "Short Cut to Hell," for peanuts just for the experience. Total budget for the whole enchilada is well under $500,000.

   1957 April 16, Mike Connolly, “More time sought for Nat [King] Cole”, in Michael Bradshaw, editor, Toledo Blade, Toledo, Oh.: Paul Block, Jr., and William Block, →OCLC, page [44], column 5

   "I want the wife, the kids, the house, the dog, the whole enchilada," he said in his rapid-fire way of talking. And I want a man who doesn't use the expression "the whole enchilada," I thought as I hung up the phone.

   2000, Jane Heller, chapter 27, in Name Dropping, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, →ISBN

   Your job as a software developer is not to simply slam out code, but to deliver the whole enchilada. And that starts with picking the projects that you (and your team) can be successful at, and continues with picking the right process for the type of developer you are and the type of project you're working on.

   2002, Whil Hentzen, “Section I: About Development”, in Patricia A. Nowak, editor, The Software Developer’s Guide, 3rd edition, Whitefish Bay, Wis.: Hentzenwerke Publishing, →ISBN, page 3

   It is only by loving all of ourselves (the whole enchilada!) that unconditional love of self is possible.

   2004 September, Leanna Burns, “Week 10: The Whole Enchilada! Embracing All of You All of the Time!”, in Soul Beautiful, Naturally, Summerland, Calif.: Journey Publications, →ISBN, page 192

   Synonyms: all the marbles, bag and baggage, everytang, everything but the galley stove, everything but the kitchen sink, everything under the sun, full monty, hook