scratch someone's back

verb

To do someone a favour.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

verbscratch someone's back (third-person singular simple present scratches someone's back, present participle scratching someone's back, simple past and past participle scratched someone's back)

present singular third person scratches someone's back · participle present scratching someone's back · participle past scratched someone's back · past scratched someone's back

  1. informalTo do someone a favour.
Cite this entry
APA

scratch someone's back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20someone's%20back

MLA

“scratch someone's back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20someone's%20back. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “scratch someone's back,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/scratch%20someone's%20back.

Source: scratch someone's back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.