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Meaning of give them an inch and they'll take an ell | Babel Free

Phrase CEFR C2

Definitions

Archaic form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.

alt-of, archaic

Examples

“I will yet thrive, (I say), as good is an ynch / As an ell. Yee can, (quoth shee), make it so well, / For when I gave you an inch, you tooke an ell, / Till both ell and inch be gone, and we in det.”

CEFR level

C2

Mastery
This word is part of the CEFR C2 vocabulary — mastery level.

See also

give your head a wobble given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow GIWTWM gj GL2U glacio-