give someone enough rope
To allow one to function unhindered, or without further overbearing oversight.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Give him enough rope and he will eventually show his true colors.”
“The manager decided to give the new employee enough rope to see if he could handle the project independently.”
“By giving the corrupt official enough rope, the investigators ensured he would inadvertently reveal the full extent of his illicit activities.”
- 01
as if someone owns the place
Alternative form of like someone owns the place.
- 02
beat someone round the ears
To beat (a person) with blows about the head.
- 03
bless someone with
To give or bestow, as a gift from God.
- 04
bring someone to their knees
To defeat and make submit to orders.
- 05
call someone every name in the book
To call someone many abusive names.
- 06
call someone everything but a child of God
To call someone many abusive names.
- 07
can't get enough
Greatly enjoys; likes a lot.
- 08
catch someone napping
To take advantage of someone's inattention.
Last updated August 10, 2026