underhand

/'ʌndəhænd/

Thân thiện

A baseball pitcher throws an underhand pitch to the batter.

Definition

1. 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.

2. 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.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. marked by deception
   • achieved success in business only by underhand methods
2. with hand brought forward and up from below shoulder level
   • an underhand pitch
   • an underhand stroke

Adverb

1. with the hand swung below shoulder level
   • throwing a ball underarm
2. 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

Từ đồng nghĩa

• sneaky
• underhanded
• underarm
• underhandedly