The idiom dressed to the nines could be from Middle English dressed to then eynes `dressed to the eyes.
( ( ( The idiom ) ( dressed ( to ( the nines ) ) ) ) ( ( could ( be ( from ( ( Middle English ) ( dressed ( to ( ( ( then eynes ) ` ) ( dressed ( to ( the eyes ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NP (DT The) (NN idiom)) (VP (VBN dressed) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT the) (NNS nines))))) (VP (MD could) (VP (VB be) (PP (IN from) (NP (NP (NNP Middle) (NNP English)) (VP (VBN dressed) (PP (TO to) (NP (NP (RB then) (NNS eynes)) (`` `) (VP (VBN dressed) (PP (TO to) (NP (DT the) (NNS eyes))))))))))) (. .)))
The Middle English had a similar idiom found in a lot of books.
( ( The ( Middle English ) ) ( ( had ( ( a ( similar idiom ) ) ( found ( in ( ( a lot ) ( of books ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (DT The) (NNP Middle) (NNP English)) (VP (VBD had) (NP (NP (DT a) (JJ similar) (NN idiom)) (VP (VBN found) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (DT a) (NN lot)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NNS books)))))))) (. .)))