The act of betraying someone's trust, especially by saying mean things about them behind their back or by undermining them secretly.
A metaphorical phrase combining 'back' (striking someone when they're not looking) and 'stabbing' (causing harm), first popularized in the 16th century to describe treachery.
The vivid imagery of 'backstabbing' was so powerful that it became the standard term for betrayal—it's more expressive than 'betrayal' itself, which is why Shakespeare and other writers quickly adopted it to describe political and personal treachery.
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