take no prisoners
To be uncompromising.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The coach takes no prisoners during practice.”
“She takes no prisoners when she negotiates a contract, always demanding the best terms for her company.”
“In his pursuit of total market dominance, the CEO takes no prisoners, ruthlessly eliminating any competition that stands in his way.”
The idiom implies the practice of killing all enemies rather than capturing them. The expression reflects a refusal to grant quarter, though the source records no specific dates or named entities associated with its first appearance.
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 03
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 04
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 05
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 06
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
- 07
have one's name taken
To receive a yellow card.
- 08
I take it
Used to express one's understanding of another's position.
Last updated August 10, 2026