# give someone an inch and someone will take a mile

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/give-someone-an-inch-and-someone-will-take-a-mile
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

## Examples

- If you give him an inch, he will take a mile.
- I let my assistant leave early once, but then he started arriving late every day; you give someone an inch and they will take a mile.
- Management initially offered a small compromise to the protesters, but they soon realized that when you give someone an inch and they take a mile, firm boundaries become necessary.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.