give sb the benefit of the doubt
在西方,法庭假如没有充分证据证实被告有罪,那么,为免制造冤狱,实行宁纵毋枉,被告得判无罪,这叫做give somebody the benefit of the doubt,直译是“既有疑点,利归某人(被告)”。现在,这句法律用语往往给引用到其他场合,意思是“对人家的怀疑既然未能证实,且往好的一面想”
to believe something good about someone, rather than something bad, when you have the possibility of doing either
在有怀疑时,去相信某人好的一面而不是坏的一面
例:
I didn't know whether his story was true or not, but I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.
我不知道他说的是真是假,不过我决定姑且相信他这一次。