c. 1702, Roger L'Estrange:Set the restless importunities of talebearers and backfriends against fair words and professions
South:Far is our church from encroaching upon the civil power; as some who are backfriends to both would maliciously insinuate.
1822, Scott, Nigel:Ye have back-friends, my lord, that is, un-friends, or to be plain, enemies.
(UK dialectal) A friend at one's back; a backer; one who does his best for another; a supporter.
1825, Mich. Bruce's Lectures:"Yet well's our day for this, we have a good backfriend that will gar our cause stand right again."
2010, David Carkeet, Double Negative:I've got a backfriend to meet.'†“A 'backfriend'?†“Yes. Evidently he had a late-night appointment with someone at Wabash. That was the way he liked to do it.â€
