give the benefit of the doubt

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give somebody the benefit of the doubt

to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either After hearing his explanation, I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

See also: benefit, doubt, give

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When you see Mark being booked in the first half you wonder if this is because of all the talk of diving and referees being afraid to give the benefit of the doubt. REFFIN' HELL; Walker blasts whistler after double agony by Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland) The manager said: "We will give the benefit of the doubt for once, twice, three times, four, maybe five times, maybe even six, maybe even seven. Football: Late-man Miller is told he can leave by Daily Post (Liverpool, England) He admitted: "I give the benefit of the doubt to Michael on everything - he's innocent until proven guilty - but I was thinking, 'figure out your s**t and I'll hold on to my son'. the Razz: Protective father by Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland)			give marching orders give me a break Give me a break! Give me a call Give me a chance! Give me a rest! Give me five! Give my best to give notice give odds that give of oneself give one freedom give oneself over to give oneself up give pause give props to give right arm give rise to give short shrift give some lip give some skin give some sugar give some thought to give static give teeth to give the benefit of the doubt give the boot give the cold shoulder give the creeps give the devil his due give the elbow give the evil eye give the eye give the finger give the game away give the gate give the glad eye give the green light give the heave ho give the heebie-jeebies give the kiss of life give the lie to give the nod give the once-over give the push give the raspberry give the rough side of tongue give the runaround give the shaft give the shirt off back give the shits			give someone no quarter give something a go Give Something Back Give Something Back Foundation Give Something Back International Foundation give static give strength to give suck give suggestions give suggestions to give support give support to give surety give sworn evidence give sworn testimony give tangible form to give teeth to give terms give testimony give thanks Give Thanks (Don Moen) Give Thanks with Don Moen Give Thanks with Don Moen (album) give the axe give the benefit of the doubt give the big E give the big E give the bird give the bird give the bird give the bird give the bird give the boot give the boot give the boot give the boot give the boot give the boot give the boot give the bounce give the bride away give the bum's rush give the bum's rush give the bum's rush give the bum's rush give the cold shoulder give the cold shoulder give the creeps give the creeps give the creeps give the creeps give the creeps give the creeps give the death blow give the devil her due

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