underhand
/'ʌndəhænd/
Definition
Adjective:
- Done in a secret or deceptive way: Characterized by deceit or dishonesty; not open or straightforward.
- Executed with the hand below the level of the shoulder: In sports, describing a throw or stroke made with the hand kept low.
Adverb:
- With an underhand motion: By swinging the hand below the level of the shoulder.
- In a secret or sly manner: Acting or done in a covert, stealthy, or deceitful way.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The company was accused of using underhand tactics to eliminate its competitors.
- In softball, an underhand pitch is the standard method of throwing the ball.
Adverb:
- The pitcher threw the ball underhand to the batter.
- He worked underhand to sabotage his colleague's promotion.
Advanced Usage
"Underhand dealings": Secret and dishonest business or political activities.
- The scandal revealed years of underhand dealings within the council.
"An underhand compliment": A compliment that is actually an insult or criticism.
- Saying "You're smarter than you look" is really an underhand compliment.
Variants and Related Words
Underhanded (adj): Synonymous with the "secret/deceptive" meaning of the adjective.
- He used underhanded methods to win the contract.
Underhandedly (adv): Synonymous with the "secretly/slyly" meaning of the adverb.
- The agreement was underhandedly arranged without the board's knowledge.
Synonyms
- Adjective (deceptive): Deceitful, dishonest, sneaky, clandestine, covert.
- Adverb (motion): Underarm, submarine (in baseball/softball context).
- Adverb (secretly): Slyly, stealthily, surreptitiously, covertly.
Antonyms
- Adjective: Aboveboard, honest, straightforward, overt.
- Adverb (motion): Overhand, overarm.
- Adverb (secretly): Openly, frankly, honestly.
Related Phrases
"To get something in an underhand way": To obtain something through deceit or trickery.
- She got the documents in an underhand way, by bribing a clerk.
"Underhand serve": In sports like volleyball or tennis, a serve executed with an underhand stroke.
- Beginners often start with an underhand serve.
Adjective
- marked by deception
- achieved success in business only by underhand methods
- with hand brought forward and up from below shoulder level
- an underhand pitch
- an underhand stroke
Adverb
- with the hand swung below shoulder level
- throwing a ball underarm
- slyly and secretly
- Mean revenge, committed underhand- John Donne
- oldline aristocratic diplomats underhandedly undermined the attempt...to align Germany with the Western democracies- C.G.Bowers
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