The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (480 page)
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Authors: John Andrew Simpson,
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scarlet
You SCRATCH my back, I'll scratch yours
Similar in sentiment to
one HAND washes the other
(see quot. 1961).
1704
All Men Mad
18
Scratch me, says one, and I'll scratch thee.
1858
Letter
27 Jan. in
Maine: Guide ‘down East’
(1937) III. 363
You scratch my back and i will scratch your back.
1928
Manchester Guardian Wekly
10 Aug. 104/1
He goes on to spoil the effect by accusing Liberals of hypocrisy and being false to the principle of justice embodied in the phrase ‘Scratch me and I'll scratch you.’
1961
Catch-22
(1962) iv. 33
A little grease is what makes this world go round. One hand washes the other. Know what I mean? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
1998
Times
27 Jan. 43/1
In theory, racing's addiction to the thin drip of a levy on betting turnover should mean that bookmakers and the sport's administrators approach each other in a mutual spirit of: ‘You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.’
reciprocity
one HAND washes the other
(see quot. 1961).
1704All Men Mad
18
Scratch me, says one, and I'll scratch thee.
1858
Letter
27 Jan. in
Maine: Guide ‘down East’
(1937) III. 363
You scratch my back and i will scratch your back.
1928
Manchester Guardian Wekly
10 Aug. 104/1
He goes on to spoil the effect by accusing Liberals of hypocrisy and being false to the principle of justice embodied in the phrase ‘Scratch me and I'll scratch you.’
1961
Catch-22
(1962) iv. 33
A little grease is what makes this world go round. One hand washes the other. Know what I mean? You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours.
1998
Times
27 Jan. 43/1
In theory, racing's addiction to the thin drip of a levy on betting turnover should mean that bookmakers and the sport's administrators approach each other in a mutual spirit of: ‘You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.’
reciprocitySCRATCH a Russian and you find a Tartar
The proverb is also used allusively, especially of other nationalities. Cf. Fr.
grattez le Russe et vous trouverez le Tartare
, scratch the Russian and you will find the Tartar (attributed to Napoleon).
1823
Diary
2 Jan. (1914) 229
Very true the saying is, ‘Scratch the Russian and find the Tartar.’
c
1863
in
Notes & Queries
(1965) CCX. 348
They say, if you scratch a Russian you always find the Tartar beneath.
1899
Puerto Rico
xii.
Scratch a Puerto Rican and you find a Spaniard underneath, so the language and home customs of Spain prevail here.
1911
Spectator
2 Dec. 964
Until a short time ago the aphorism, ‘Scratch a Russian and you find a Tartar,’ was the sum of British comprehension of the Russian character.
1947
in
New Yorker
31 May 6
Scratch a Pole and you find a Pole, even if he is Communist.
1967
Chinese Looking Glass
xxxiv.
Mao .. discovered many years ago that you only had to scratch a Russian Communist to find a Tatar.
human nature, national characteristics
grattez le Russe et vous trouverez le Tartare
, scratch the Russian and you will find the Tartar (attributed to Napoleon).
1823Diary
2 Jan. (1914) 229
Very true the saying is, ‘Scratch the Russian and find the Tartar.’
c
1863
in
Notes & Queries
(1965) CCX. 348
They say, if you scratch a Russian you always find the Tartar beneath.
1899
Puerto Rico
xii.
Scratch a Puerto Rican and you find a Spaniard underneath, so the language and home customs of Spain prevail here.
1911
Spectator
2 Dec. 964
Until a short time ago the aphorism, ‘Scratch a Russian and you find a Tartar,’ was the sum of British comprehension of the Russian character.
1947
in
New Yorker
31 May 6
Scratch a Pole and you find a Pole, even if he is Communist.
1967
Chinese Looking Glass
xxxiv.
Mao .. discovered many years ago that you only had to scratch a Russian Communist to find a Tatar.
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