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underhanded

adverb

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L202180 on Wikidata ↗

adjective

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L341643 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand English -ed English handed English underhanded From under- + handed.

  1. Done by moving the hand (and arm) from below.

    Golf is an underhanded game, because we must swing the club in an underhanded motion in order to play the ball off the ground.

  2. Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating.

    His underhanded trick backfired and he was disqualified.

    They were actually underhanded threats to call off the lawsuit and then all insurance agents in the hospital district would get a dividend for the premiums paid.

  3. Insincere; sarcastic.

    An underhanded compliment is actually criticism.

    Of course, sometimes compliments just aren't really compliments. Underhanded compliments are, for better or worse, nothing new or unusual.

  4. Secret; surreptitious.

    And, although the mystery of an unsigned note rather thrilled her, it seemed underhanded. And June hated underhanded things.

    A general agreement should be made among the nations, that henceforth, all underhanded diplomatic agreements be abolished, and that complete publicity be observed in discussing and transacting international affairs.

  5. Understaffed.

    Between 9.30, when the first shot was fired, and 11.45 a.m., the enemy, well aware of his vast superiority in men — the ' Intrepid,' being, as was usual with the Company's cruisers, underhanded — made two attempts to run her on board and throw an overpowering force on the brig's decks.

    Jude and me can make out to work the boat and get a livin', but we're too underhanded for a big job.

adv

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand English -ed English handed English underhanded From under- + handed.

  1. In an underhanded manner.

    Bonino required each of us to shoot our free throws underhanded.

    The 3fz one-hand-only shooting mechanism allows players to shoot the basketball up-handed by pronating palm (down) and uplifting the arm, as well as underhanded by supinating palm (up) and low-hand Unishots.

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand English -ed English handed English underhanded From under- + handed.

  1. Devious people, collectively.

    We have fallen to the underhanded and label it a greater means.

    The kind of kho'los that comes from unfair dealings, culturally unacceptable practices that bring rewards to the underhanded can, on Odysseus's (and Agamemnon's) terms, be set aside.

verb

Etymology: See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

  1. simple past and past participle of underhand
underhanded — meaning, definition (adverb, adjective) · Vinony