backhand

Slanting to the left.

Adjective

  1. Slanting to the left.
    • In great confusion, Gordon accepted the letter, broke its small crested seal, and began reading the neat back-hand scrawl. - 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XIII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940,...
  2. In the backhand style.
  3. Using the back side of the hockey stick.
    • He scored on a backhand shot.

Origin

Etymology tree English back Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand English backhand From back + hand.

Forms

more backhand most backhand

Related

backhanded

Noun

  1. A stroke made across the chest from the off-hand side to the racquet hand side; a stroke during which the back of the hand faces the shot.
    • She has a mean backhand.

    Antonyms: forehand

  2. Handwriting that leans to the left.
    • It was written in a shaky backhand.
  3. The standard throw; a throw during which the disc begins on the off-hand side and travels across the chest to be released from the opposite side.
  4. The back of the hand: the reverse side (dorsal side) of the human hand or other primate hand.

    Antonyms: palm

  5. The hand towards the back of the board.

    Antonyms: forehand

Forms

backhands

Verb

  1. To execute a backhand stroke or throw.
  2. To slap with the back of one's hand.
    • During the boxing match, I accidentally backhanded my opponent.
    • While Joe is driving, Bob gets upset and wants to go back to set up. Bob and Joe argue for a few seconds. Then, Bob grabs the wheel and nearly causes us to hit a tree. In response, Joe backhands Bob and tells him to...

Forms

backhands backhanding backhanded