Question from forces20 (August 13, 2010):
Hello, Mr. Joe: Time and again, I have been hearing the expression “the benefit of the doubt,” but until this time I still don’t know the meaning of that expression. Can you give me an explanation of that phrase so that every time I hear it from my teachers or other people, I will be able to understand what they mean?
My reply to forces20:
When you “give the benefit of the doubt,” it means that although you may have doubts or questions about someone’s actuations or declarations, you are willing to ignore those doubts or questions for the time being and view those actuations or declarations with a positive or favorable frame of mind. In its legal sense, “the benefit of the doubt” means a favorable opinion or judgment that is adopted despite uncertainty.
Here’s an example of the usage of that expression: “You were one of the three who did overtime work when that highly confidential document was spirited out from the office files, but I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt because your two co-workers that night have vouched for your integrity.”
When someone gives you the benefit of the doubt, that person continues to have confidence in you despite some actuations or declarations of yours that had tended to diminish that person’s full trust in you. Example: “Your quarterly performance has been below par, but since conditions were far from ideal during that period, I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. But I’m expecting you to work double time to meet your quota in the next quarter.”
