Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Sports Made with or using a backhand.
- adjective Oblique or roundabout.
from The Century Dictionary.
- With the back of the hand: as, a backhanded blow.
- Done or effected with the hand turned backward, crosswise, or in any oblique direction; marked by a backward slope, direction, or effect: as, backhanded writing; a backhanded stroke in sword-play or lawn-tennis.
- Figuratively, oblique in meaning; indirect; equivocal; ambiguous; sarcastic: as, a backhanded compliment.
- Twisted in the opposite way from the usual method: said of a rope.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- (Sport) Stroked with a backhand{2}.
- adjective With the hand turned backward.
- adjective Indirect; awkward; insincere; sarcastic.
- adjective Turned back, or inclining to the left.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective With the
hand turnedbackward . - adjective
Indirect ;awkward ;insincere ;sarcastic . - adjective Turned back
- adjective of writing
inclining to theleft - verb Simple past tense and past participle of
backhand .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke
- adjective roundabout or ambiguous
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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MATALIN: That's what we call a backhanded compliment, Lou.
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In what she calls a "backhanded compliment to bipartisanship," Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute says the American public has given high marks to both George W. Bush and Barack Obama on the topic of terrorism.
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Henrik Sedin backhanded the puck out in front just before he was checked against the end boards by Denis Gauthier.
USATODAY.com 2008
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WASHINGTON (AP) - First, Alex Ovechkin backhanded a pass to himself off the boards to get around a defenseman at the blue line.
USATODAY.com 2008
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With Zetterberg off for hooking, Sedin backhanded a loose puck past Hasek from the slot.
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Brylin backhanded Brian Rafalski's rebound past Olie Kolzig for a power-play tally at 6: 22.
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Rucchin backhanded a shot from the right circle over Denis 'glove with 4: 44 remaining in the first to give Anaheim a three-goal cushion, but Marshall fired a slap shot from the left circle through a screen and past Giguere at 13: 10 of the second to put Columbus on the board.
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The constant pressure paid off when Saprykin backhanded Chris
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After deking Hill, Sundin backhanded a pass to McCabe, who was just above the right circle.
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Spotting Sullivan streaking toward the net, Berezin backhanded a pass that the 5-9 right wing redirected past Hurme on the far side for his fifth goal of the season.
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