English / proverb
Give Someone an Inch and He'll Take a Yard
MEANING IN ENGLISH
If you yield even a tiny concession to someone lacking self-restraint, they will aggressively demand vastly more.
In context
01
Years of administrative stewardship taught the dean that if you give someone an inch and he'll take a yard, firm limits are essential.
02
Maturity balances kindness with vigilance, aware that when dealing with opportunists, give someone an inch and he'll take a yard.
Synonyms
take unfair advantage,exploit benevolence,overstep boundaries
Antonyms
respect boundaries,practice moderation,show gratitude
Collocations
beware that you give someone an inch and he'll take a yard,risk that you give someone an inch and he'll take a yard,learn that you give someone an inch and he'll take a yard