ball of wax

noun

, Informal.

1. everything, including all details, parts, etc., relating to a particular matter:

   He came back from Chicago with the contract for the whole ball of wax.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ball of wax¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

When Kavanaugh does venture into legal analysis, he frequently flattens his reasoning into a single phrase that, in his telling, settles the whole ball of wax.

From Slate

That said, although Burd is optimistic that the proposals will be passed, it is "a whole other ball of wax" whether people will actually follow the new regulations.

From Salon

And because this is a whole different movie, a whole different cast, and even the tone of it is very different than the first film, it felt like a whole new ball of wax, which is the only way I ever want it to be with these films.

From New York Times

It’s a really complex ball of wax.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s the same sort of ball of wax: People getting frustrated, feeling strained and acting out toward others,” said Charis E. Kubrin, a criminologist at the University of California, Irvine.

From Seattle Times