From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbend/lean over backwards (to do something)bend/lean over backwards (to do something)TRY TO DO OR GET somethingto try as hard as possible to help or please someone City officials bent over backwards to help downtown businesses. → backwards
Examples from the Corpus
bend/lean over backwards (to do something)• You should bend over backwards to avoid bitter personal rows and the holding of grudges.• The authors, however, bend over backwards to avoid consideration of that particular class scenario.• They also needed to stop rationalizing the problem to themselves and bending over backwards to be fair.• The Gallery is also bending over backwards to boost attendance, and in doing so is rather alarmingly bowing to populist pressures.• Outside the trees are bending over backwards to please the wind: the shining sword grass flattens on its belly.• Stuart was leaning over backwards to see Oliver's point of view. 