“Give him an inch and he will take a mile”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
This phrase means that if you give someone a small amount of freedom or a little favor, they may take advantage and demand much more than you intended to give.
Tone Cautionary
Where it comes from
The phrase is believed to originate from the 16th century or earlier. Its earliest form is believed to be ‘Give him an inch and he’ll take an ell,’ with ell being an old measure of length. The modern version substitutes mile for ell to give it a more understandable and dramatic impact.
Examples
- I told John he could borrow my car for a day, and he ended up taking it for a week. Give him an inch and he will take a mile.
- She asked for a small extension on the project deadline, but she ended up delaying it by a month. It’s true what they say: give her an inch, and she’ll take a mile.
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