2006-12-13 07:22:56 · 27 answers · asked by hypatiadelamartine 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Hi Nina, I'm Canadian, living in Switzerland.
The "benefit of the doubt" is what you "give someone" when you're not sure if what they're saying is true, or you not sure if they're really being nice, but you decide to assume they are.
For example, if someone told you your friend had said something mean about you, you might give your friend the benefit of the doubt and assume that the other person was lying. Or if someone took something of yours, you might give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they just picked it up by accident, thinking it was their own.
2006-12-13 07:28:15 · answer #1 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Benefit Of A Doubt Meaning
2016-12-26 12:15:56 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hello.. The meaning of the idiom "benefit of the doubt" - A favorable judgment granted in the absence of full evidence. Suppose you suspect a few things when some one is recruiting you for an overseas assignment, they lay several conditions & you raise several risk factors( also called doubts to be clarrified), in such a case, the HR will approve some confidently & some as maybe "YES" or may be "No". For such points she will use the sentence " I'm very happy to give you the benefit of the doubt on the first one rather than the second one." Meaning : while raising your risks/doubts, for your 1st point there could be a change in the last minute which might affect you & by giving you the benefit of the doubt, it will turn favourable to you. But the 2nd point you have raised is a clear NO or a YES... Hope i cleared your doubt:-)
2016-03-13 00:19:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you don't know what to think about someone, say whether they did something awful or not, then you have a choice. You can act as if they did that awful thing, you can act as neutrally, or you can give them 'the benefit of the doubt' -- assume that they didn't, because you don't actually know.
2006-12-13 07:29:23 · answer #4 · answered by The angels have the phone box. 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It means that you believe in a person even when evidence "suggests" that they may have done something wrong. Instead of jumping to conclusions and thinking the worst (based only on speculation), you give them the 'benefit of doubt' that maybe they are innocent.
2006-12-13 07:28:20 · answer #5 · answered by Tiberius 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Doubt means you have some indication that something is wrong. So, when giving someone the "benefit of the doubt" means you are not definitely sure, but judging from past experiences you believe it.
Example: You are always neat. I mean a real neat freak. Someone accuses of you of making a huge mess in the bathroom and asks my opinion. I would "give you the benefit of the doubt" and say, "Hey, Swiss guy is very neat and clean. I do not believe he did that."
Now, I am not 100% sure that you did not make the mess, but judging from how you are always so neat, I am giving you the benefit of the doubt.
Hope that makes sense!
2006-12-13 07:28:06 · answer #6 · answered by Bathroom Graffiti 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
An individual tells you they didn't do something even though it appears they did. But they have always been honest with you in the past, so you believe them and give them the benefit of the doubt.
2006-12-13 07:33:08 · answer #7 · answered by reedro 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This Site Might Help You.
RE:
hi, I'm swiss. What does ''the benefit of doubt'' mean?
2015-08-13 13:35:18 · answer #8 · answered by Ezra 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You look like an idiot, but I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt (you're smart). It means that I have doubts about you, but I am going to be positive about it.
2006-12-13 07:27:51 · answer #9 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means you're not sure that they're telling the truth, but you're going to take a chance and believe it anyway.
2006-12-13 07:26:46 · answer #10 · answered by bxgirl 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋