you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

You help me and I'll help you. Thanks for the file. Here’s your money—you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, remember?
See also: and, back, scratch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

Fig. You do a favor for me and I'll do a favor for you.; If you do something for me that I cannot do for myself, I will do something for you that you cannot do for yourself. I'll grab the box on the top shelf if you will creep under the table and pick up my pen. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours.
See also: and, back, scratch
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

or

I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine

People say you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours to describe the way that one person helps another because they know that person will help them in return. For men, commitments are based on common interest: I'll scratch your back if you'll scratch mine. Note: You can also talk about back-scratching, meaning help that one person gives to another so that they will be helped in return. There was a lot of mutual back-scratching between directors and executives. Note: This phrase is often used to show disapproval.
See also: and, back, scratch
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

if you do me a favour, I will return it. proverb
See also: and, back, scratch
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

ˌyou scratch ˈmy back and ˌI’ll scratch ˈyours

(saying) used to say that if somebody helps you, you will help them, even if this is unfair to others ▶ ˈback-scratching noun: There is too much back-scratching in local politics in this town.
See also: and, back, scratch
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • back door
  • dial (one) back
  • dial back
  • come back and see us
  • back
  • back at (something or some place)
  • be/go back to square one
  • a while back
  • carry (one) back
  • carry back
References in periodicals archive
As a businessman, he usually gets what he wants, but the political way of doing things is, you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. He has the money and power to do what he wants.
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The 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours,' suggests a possible conflict of interest to say the least.
'Mancunians know better' Letters, comments and emails
I'm not naive and of course there's certainly a sense of 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' about securing these events.
Platini is trying to wreck England World Cup hopes
YOU scratch my back and I'll scratch yours is a phrase that really sums up timebanking.
We make time to help others - you can bank on that! COMMUNITY SKILL-SHARING SCHEME PROVES A HIT IN TOUGH ECONOMIC CLIMATE
YOU scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, Shane Doyle tells Ross tonight.
We love telly: We love SOAPS
The "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" deal attempted to be cobbled together by the largest opposition group at the Assembly, Plaid Cymru, with Nick Bourne true-blue Tories is a betrayal of Plaid supporters in the Welsh Valleys, it is a betrayal of all Welsh communities and families that suffered at the hands of these people, families and communities that still remember the deliberate and determined decimation of historical ways of life.
Letter: Betrayal of Plaid
The "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours" deal attempted to be cobbled together by the largest opposition group at the Assembly, Plaid Cymru, with Nick Bourne's Tories is a betrayal of Plaid supporters in the Welsh Valleys, and of Welsh communities that suffered at the hands of these people
Viewpoints Plaid's actions will haunt them
It is best to think of guanxi as a two-way business relationship - as opposed to a friendship leading to business - along the lines of "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours".
When in China... THE CHINA CONNECTION Guanxi
de Winter," "The Enquiry," "You Scratch My Back and I'll Scratch Yours," "She's Gone" (reprise), "They Left at Eight," "No One Saw Through Her," "Rebecca" (reprise), "Beyond the Night," "Manderley in Flames," "I Dreamt of Manderley" (reprise), "Act Two Finale."
Rebecca
It is simply a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours, and so far it is working well.
MARK LAWRENSON: Common sense can keep Blues out of the red
And it is dedicated to Washington's most hallowed ritual: You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. An example was unearthed by The Washington Post's Lloyd Grove, who discovered that the firm had sent out the following letter: "In the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, we are asking some of our area restaurants and shops we frequent to consider donating a gift/prize to give during our holiday party."
Who's Who
Latin America is the perfect place to play "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." Bartering is common--goods, information and yes, of course, services, including cargo transportation.
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