In for a penny, in for a pound

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Meaning

Once committed to a course of action, it is worth accepting the larger commitment needed to finish it. Often spoken at the moment a small undertaking becomes a larger one. It need not involve money. Regional use: United Kingdom and wider Commonwealth; widely understood elsewhere.

Origin

This long-standing British proverb contrasts a penny with the much larger sum of a pound. Print evidence reaches back to the late 17th century. The monetary contrast itself explains the sense; claims that the saying arose from a particular debt law or criminal penalty are not required by, and are not securely established in, the documentary record.

Variants

  • If in for a penny, in for a pound
  • Once in for a penny, in for a pound

Usage Examples

  • We had already stripped one wall, so in for a penny, in for a pound, we renovated the whole room.
  • In for a penny, in for a pound: Mara entered both races instead of choosing one.

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