English

Noun

quid pro quo ‎(plural quae pro quibus or quid pro quibus or quid pro quos)

1. Something understood as another; an equivocation.
   • 1844, Richard Burdon Haldane, The World as Will and Representation, 2nd edition, first book, translation of original by Arthur Schopenhauer, 13:

     The misunderstanding of the word or the quid pro quo is the unintentional pun, and is related to it exactly as folly is to wit.

   • 1912, Constance Garnett, The Brothers Karamazov, translation of original by Fyodor Dostoevsky, part II, book V, chapter 5:

     “Is it simply a wild fantasy, or a mistake on the part of the old man — some impossible quid pro quo?”

2. (law) This for that; giving something to receive something else; something equivalent; something in return.
   • 1895, Uchimura Kanzo, chapter 1, in The Diary of a Japanese Convert:

     No less weightier was to be the youth's consideration for his master, who was to him no mere school teacher or college professor on quid pro quo principle, but a veritable didaskalos, in whom he could and must completely confide the care of his body and soul.

   • 2002, Barry G. Silverman, Sklar v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue - Concurrence by Judge Silverman (2002):

     Section 170 states that quid pro quo donations, for which a taxpayer receives something in return, are not deductible.

3. An equal exchange.

   We had no money so we had to live by quid pro quo.‎

Synonyms

• (an equal exchange): barter, swap, swop, trade

Translations

See also

• tit for tat
• you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

Anagrams

• quo pro quid