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- stab in the back
stab in the back
stab someone in the back
1. Lit. to thrust a knife into someone's back. Max planned to stab his hostage in the back if he screamed. The murderer stabbed his victim in the back and fled.
2. Fig. to betray someone. I wish you would not gossip about me. There is no need to stab me in the back.
stab somebody in the back
to do something secretly to harm someone A lot of women in this business think they have to stab each other in the back to get ahead. By supporting civil rights, some senators believed Truman had stabbed the southerners in the back.
stab somebody in the back
to do something harmful to someone who trusted you He had been lied to, stabbed in the back, by people he thought were his friends.
stab (someone) in the back
To harm (someone) by treachery or betrayal of trust.