adj
Meaning 1
Done by moving the hand (and arm) from below.
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
underhanded
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
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CMU ARPABET: AH1 N D ER0 HH AE1 N D IH0 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
adj
Meaning 2
Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- His underhanded trick backfired and he was disqualified.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Insincere; sarcastic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- An underhanded compliment is actually criticism.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 4
Secret; surreptitious.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sneaky
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 5
Understaffed.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adv
Meaning 6
In an underhanded manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 7
Devious people, collectively.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural, plural-only
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
simple past and past participle of underhand
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 9
with hand brought forward and up from below shoulder level
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- an underhand pitch
- an underhand stroke
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: underhand, underarm
Antonyms: none provided
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
marked by deception
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- achieved success in business only by underhand methods
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: sneaky, underhand
Antonyms: none provided
History
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 Old English -ed Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh2tos Proto-Germanic *-ōdaz Old English -od Middle English -ed English -ed English handed English underhanded From under- + handed.
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Across languages
Translations
17 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Dutch: onderhands — from below
- Dutch: gluiperig — sly
- Finnish: salakähmäinen — sly
- Finnish: salaileva — sly
- Finnish: luihu — sly
- Finnish: kiero — sly
- German: hinterhältig — sly
- German: hinterlistig — sly
- Greek: δόλιος (dólios) — sly
- Greek: ύπουλος (ýpoulos) — sly
- Japanese: 卑怯な (hikyouna) — sly
- Russian: подлый (podlyj) — sly
- German: sarkastisch — sarcastic
- German: heimlich — from below
- German: verdeckt — from below
- German: unterbesetzt — understaffed
- Greek: δολίως (dolíos) — in an underhand manner
Real reading context