give one an inch, and he will take a mile

give one an inch, and he will take a mile
If you give some people a little or yield anything, they will want more and more; some people are never satisfied. * /I gave Billy a bite of candy and he wanted more and more. If you give him an inch, he'll take a mile./ * /The counselor said to Jack, "No, I can't let you get a haircut until Saturday. It's against the rules, and if I give an inch, someone will take a mile."/

Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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  • give one an inch, and he will take a mile — If you give some people a little or yield anything, they will want more and more; some people are never satisfied. * /I gave Billy a bite of candy and he wanted more and more. If you give him an inch, he ll take a mile./ * /The counselor said to… …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • give\ one\ an\ inch,\ and\ he\ will\ take\ a\ mile — If you give some people a little or yield anything, they will want more and more; some people are never satisfied. I gave Billy a bite of candy and he wanted more and more. If you give him an inch, he ll take a mile. The counselor said to Jack,… …   Словарь американских идиом

  • take — See: CAN TAKE IT WITH ONE, GIVE AND TAKE, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, GIVE OR TAKE, SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • take — See: CAN TAKE IT WITH ONE, GIVE AND TAKE, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, GIVE OR TAKE, SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • take — See: can take it with one, give and take, give one an inch, and he will take a mile, give or take, sit up and take notice …   Словарь американских идиом

  • inch — See: BY INCHES, EVERY INCH, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, WITHIN AN ACE OF or WITHIN AN INCH OF, WITHIN AN INCH OF ONE S LIFE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • inch — See: BY INCHES, EVERY INCH, GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, WITHIN AN ACE OF or WITHIN AN INCH OF, WITHIN AN INCH OF ONE S LIFE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • inch — See: by inches, every inch, give one an inch, and he will take a mile, within an ace of or within an inch of, within an inch of one s life …   Словарь американских идиом

  • mile — See: GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, JAW DROP or JAW DROP A MILE, MISS BY A MILE, MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • mile — See: GIVE ONE AN INCH AND HE WILL TAKE A MILE, JAW DROP or JAW DROP A MILE, MISS BY A MILE, MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE …   Dictionary of American idioms

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