give the devil his due

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give the devil his due and give the devil her due

Fig. to give your foe proper credit (for something). (This usually refers to a person who has been evil-like the devil.) She's very messy in the kitchen, but I have to give the devil her due. She bakes a terrific cherry pie. John is a bit too nosy, but he keeps his yard clean and is a kind neighbor. I'll give the devil his due.

See also: devil, due, give, his

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And the lady, to give the devil his due, is a very good sort of lady, and loves the cloth, and is always desirous to do strict justice to it; for she hath begged off many a poor soldier, and, by her good-will, would never have any of them punished. The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling by Fielding, Henry View in context I must say, to give the devil his due, that there is something rather fine in that. The American by James, Henry View in context One should give the devil his due, and the Russians let themselves be cut in pieces just like Frenchmen; they did not give way, and we made no advance. The Country Doctor by de Balzac, Honore View in context			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 the shivers give the slip give the thumbs down give the thumbs up			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 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 death blow give the devil her due give the devil his due Give the Drummer Some give the effect give the elbow give the elbow give the elbow give the elbow give the elbow give the evil eye give the eye give the eye give the eye give the eye give the eye give the facts give the finger give the finger give the finger give the finger give the flick give the floor to give the game away give the game away give the game away give the gate give the gate give the glad eye give the glad eye give the glad eye give the go-by give the green light

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