scratch back

scratch (one's) back

To provide one with a favor; to do something generous, helpful, or beneficial for someone. Usually implies that the favor is expected or hoped to be returned in the future. The president has been accused of scratching the oil industry's backs with a series of executive actions that put them in a position to make a lot more money. I've been scratching his back for years now—getting him a job, helping him move into his apartment, lending him money to buy furniture. The least he could do is help me clean out my house before I move. Just get me the information on the senator I need, and I'll make sure it's worth your while—you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, OK?
See also: back, scratch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

scratch someone's back

 
1. Lit. to scratch, usually with the fingers, the parts of someone's back that they cannot reach. Please scratch my back between my shoulder blades.
2. Fig. to do a favor for someone in return for a favor done for you. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. We believe that the mayor has been scratching the treasurer's back.
See also: back, scratch
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • scratch (one's) back
  • scratch someone's back
  • in favor of
  • in favor of (someone or something)
  • slant in favor of (someone or something)
  • quid pro quo
  • favor
  • decide in favor of
  • decide in favor of (someone or something)
  • find favor with (one)
References in periodicals archive
"I put in three cards, of 72, 73 and 74, and was delighted to get a handicap of scratch back last month."
Not only that, LG's mobile chief ordered the team developing the G7 to (http://www.ibtimes.com/lg-g7-revised-scratch-amid-struggling-smartphone-business-2641652) revise it from scratch back in January. 
The former England manager admitted he did not want to risk United's senior defenders picking up injuries on Providence Park's plastic pitch, Gael Bigirimana and Shane Ferguson part of a scratch back four.
I was quite insistent with Gore (Verbinski - the director) that I wanted to be a bit tougher, and snap back and scratch back and spit back.
I've worried about to fake all tries to do it get us up on I was quite insistent with Gore (Verbinski - the director) that I wanted to be a bit tougher, and snap back and scratch back and spit back.
Pulling up stakes in Virginia to pursue the freedom and control of his life he was seeking, Alvarez started his TES business and built his personal and professional network from scratch back in Chicago.
"We were down and had to scratch back," Singler said.
Should have thrived against a scratch back four but failed to shine.
"We tried to scratch back, but the deficit was too big, and Torres did a good job on the mound," Mocerino said.
And it means that Wales' personnel crisis has gone from bad to worse with a scratch back line now assembled to take on the championship favourites this Sunday.
"Being a company that started from scratch back in the early '90s, we built up our staff from scratch and ended up with a highly, technically competent group."
His grandad, the late Bernard Snr, Ben for short, built up the shops from scratch back in 1944 into the biggest retail business in Ireland.
With Cov using the opportunity to play four guest forwards in their starting XV and forced to put out a scratch back line, the game was largely a no contest with Northampton scoring three tries in the opening 11 minutes to lead 19-0 and a dozen in total before referee Paul Dickens whistled up early.
Usually I find a stick and scratch back last year's grass, now brown, a casualty of winter's hard freezes.