underhanded

  • 1Underhanded — Un der*hand ed, a. 1. Underhand; clandestine. [1913 Webster] 2. Insufficiently provided with hands or workers; short handed; sparsely populated; obsolete in this sense, {short handed} or {understaffed} being the preferrred term. [1913 Webster… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2underhanded — index clandestine, collusive, deceptive, dishonest, disingenuous, false (disloyal), fraudulent, hidde …

    Law dictionary

  • 3underhanded — UK US /ˌʌndəˈhændɪd/ adjective US ► UNDERHAND(Cf. ↑underhand) …

    Financial and business terms

  • 4underhanded — in reference to a throw, etc., c.1822, from UNDERHAND (Cf. underhand). As “in secret,” from 1825; as “with too few people,” from 1834 …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5underhanded — [un΄dər han′did] adj. 1. not open or straightforward; secret, sly, deceitful, etc. 2. SHORT HANDED SYN. SECRET underhandedly adv. underhandedness n …

    English World dictionary

  • 6underhanded — adjective a) Done by moving the hand (and arm) from below. His underhanded trick backfired and he was disqualified. b) Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating. An underhanded compliment is actually criticism …

    Wiktionary

  • 7underhanded — I. adverb Date: circa 1822 underhand II. adjective Date: 1853 marked by secrecy, chicanery, and deception ; not honest and aboveboard ; sly < an underhanded attempt to gain power > Synonyms: see secret • underhand …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 8underhanded — underhandedly, adv. underhandedness, n. /un deuhr han did/, adj. 1. underhand. 2. short handed: By the time of the Navy game, Army usually finds itself underhanded. [1800 10; UNDER + HANDED] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 9underhanded — I underhand, underhanded (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) adj. hidden, secret; deceitful, fraudulent, unfair, tricky; stealthy, sly, clandestine, furtive, devious. See secret, deception, improbity. II (Roget s IV) modif. Syn. secret,&#8230; …

    English dictionary for students

  • 10underhanded — un|der|hand|ed [ ,ʌndər hændəd ] adjective secret and dishonest: some underhanded sales tactics ╾ un|der|hand|ed|ness noun uncount ╾ un|der|hand|ed|ly adverb …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English