Meaning

He will give the Devil his due

Categorised in: A list of phrases about the Devil ·135 Phrases coined by William Shakespeare ·A List Of 720 English Proverbs, With Their Meanings Explained ·A list of phrases about religion

What's the meaning of the phrase 'He will give the Devil his due'?

Literally, pay the devil what you owe him. Used figuratively to mean 'give back what you owe', either money or favours.

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay
To sleep: perchance to dream: ay - caption

What’s the origin of the phrase ‘He will give the Devil his due’?

From Shakespeare’s Henry V Part 1, 1597:

ORLÉANS: And I will take up that with “Give the devil his due.”

The expression is referred to in the play as a proverb and so it is likely that Shakespeare was repeating it rather than coining it.

See also: the List of Proverbs.

Historical trend

“give the Devil his due” in printed material over time

Source: Google Books Ngrams (1800–2020).

180018201840186018801900192019401960198020002020
  • give the Devil his due