Showing results for "quid pro quo"

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Slang dictionary results for quid pro quo.

quid pro quo

American  

[kwid proh kwoh] / ˈkwɪd proʊ ˈkwoʊ /

noun

• quid pro quos,
  plural
• quids pro quo
  plural

1. something that is given or taken in return for something else.

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quid pro quo British  

/ ˈkwɪd prəʊ ˈkwəʊ /

noun

1. a reciprocal exchange

2. something given in compensation, esp an advantage or object given in exchange for another

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quid pro quo Cultural  

1. A fair exchange; the phrase is most frequently used in diplomacy: “The Chinese may make some concessions on trade, but they will no doubt demand a quid pro quo, so we must be prepared to make concessions too.” From Latin, meaning “something for something.”

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quid pro quo Idioms  

1. An equal exchange or substitution, as in I think it should be quid pro quo—you mow the lawn and I'll take you to the movies. This Latin expression, meaning “something for something,” has been used in English since the late 1500s.

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Usage

What does quid pro quo mean? Tit for tat. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Or, if you want to get a little fancier, quid pro quo. This is a Latin-derived expression referring to something done for someone in exchange for something of equal value in return.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• quid pro quos
  plural
• quids pro quo
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of quid pro quo

First recorded in 1555–65; Latin quid prō quō, literally, “what for what, something for something”; see pro ¹ , quiddity , status quo

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Compare meaning

How does quid-pro-quo compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• quid pro quo vs. bribery

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

quid pro quo

Federal prosecutors indicted me on public corruption charges, alleging a quid pro quo.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

The key players in Kao’s pay-to-play deals went to great lengths to meet in person and leave no trace of an actual quid pro quo, he told agents.

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Since the Cold War, other countries that maintained their holdings of dollars and U.S. securities in no small part for security reasons, reflecting an implicit quid pro quo for America’s defense shield.

From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026

There, Homan laid out the quid pro quo that Adams had agreed to in the plainest possible terms.

From Slate ● Feb. 15, 2025

I’m wondering if any of the people on the plane say quid pro quo.

From "Ask the Passengers" by A.S. King

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