backscratching
|back-scratch-ing|
/ˈbækˌskrætʃɪŋ/
(backscratch)
reciprocal exchange of favors (also literal back-scratching)
Etymology
'backscratching' is a Modern English compound formed from 'back' + 'scratch', where 'back' comes from Old English 'bæc' meaning 'the rear or surface of the body' and 'scratch' comes from Old English (and related Germanic) roots meaning 'to scrape or tear'.
'back' + 'scratch' combined in English to form 'back-scratch' and 'back-scratching' for the literal action; by the 19th–20th century the phrase began to be used figuratively in political and social contexts to mean reciprocal exchange of favors, yielding the idiomatic sense now common.
Initially it referred simply to the physical act 'to scratch a back', but over time it developed a figurative meaning of 'mutual exchange of favors' (often with a negative or critical nuance) which is now common.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the literal act of scratching someone's back (physical action).
She enjoyed a moment of backscratching after asking for help with the zipper.
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Noun 2
figurative: a reciprocal exchange of favors or services, often implying mutual, self-interested cooperation (sometimes with a negative connotation).
The committee became known for political backscratching rather than impartial decision-making.
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Verb 1
present participle or gerund form of 'backscratch' (to scratch someone's back or to exchange favors reciprocally).
They kept backscratching to secure votes and favors within the organization.
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Adjective 1
describing an action, arrangement, or atmosphere characterized by mutual exchange of favors (e.g., 'backscratching culture').
They criticized the backscratching practices that dominated promotions.
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Last updated: 2025/12/27 03:02