adj
Meaning 1
With the back of the hand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
backhanded
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈbækˌhændəd/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: B AE1 K HH AE2 N D IH0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Involving a backward flip of the hand.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Insincere, sarcastic, ironic, or self-contradictory.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 4
Indirect.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 5
Backwards, turned around.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 6
inclining to the left
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 7
Retrospective, occurring after the fact rather than in advance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 8
Self-serving, corrupt, slipshod, or neglectful.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 9
In a backhanded manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 10
simple past and past participle of backhand
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, participle, past
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adjective
Meaning 11
(of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: backhand(a)
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
roundabout or ambiguous
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- attacks from that source amounted to a backhanded compliment to his integrity
- a backhanded and dishonest way of reaching his goal
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From back + hand + -ed.
Across languages
Translations
11 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Icelandic: bakhandar- — With the hand turned backward
- Icelandic: gerður með handarbakinu — With the hand turned backward
- Bulgarian: заобиколен (zaobikolen) — Indirect; awkward
- Icelandic: klunnalegur — Indirect; awkward
- Icelandic: klaufskur — Indirect; awkward
- Icelandic: öfugsnúinn — Turned back
- Icelandic: tvíræður — Turned back
- Icelandic: vafasamur — Turned back
- Bulgarian: наклонен наляво (naklonen naljavo) — Of writing
- French: penché à gauche — Of writing
- Icelandic: hallandi til vinstri — Of writing