1. Home
2. Idioms
3. give due

give due

---

---

give somebody their due

to recognize something good about someone This wonderful musician was finally given his due when he was honored at this year's jazz festival.

Usage notes: sometimes used in the form give something its due: It took more than 200 years to give the book its due, but it's now regarded as a classic.

See also: due, give

give somebody their due

  also give the devil his due

something that you say when you want to describe someone's good qualities after they have done something wrong or after you have criticized them She might be bad at writing letters but I'll give her her due, she always phones me at the end of the month. Geoff usually forgets my birthday, but give the devil his due, he always buys me a lovely Christmas present.

See also: due, give