under-handed

Adjective

underhanded (comparative more underhanded, superlative most underhanded)

1. Done by moving the hand (and arm) from below.
   • Golf is an underhanded game, because we must swing the club in an underhanded motion in order to play the ball off the ground.2011, Edward A Tischler, The Way Of The Golfer: Searching For New Horizons, →ISBN, page 25
2. Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating.
   • His underhanded trick backfired and he was disqualified.
3. Insincere; sarcastic.
   • An underhanded compliment is actually criticism.

   Synonyms:

   backhanded

4. Secret; surreptitious.
   • And, although the mystery of an unsigned note rather thrilled her, it seemed underhanded. And June hated underhanded things.1903, Arthur Wellington Brayley, Arthur Wilson Tarbell, Joe Mitchell Chapple, National Magazine - Volume 19, page 493

   Synonyms:

   sneaky

5. Understaffed.
   • Between 9.30, when the first shot was fired, and 11.45 a.m., the enemy, well aware of his vast superiority in men — the ' Intrepid,' being, as was usual with the Company's cruisers, underhanded — made two attempts to run her on board and throw an overpowering force on the brig's decks.1877, Charles Rathbone Low, History of the Indian Navy: (1613-1863), page 209

   Synonyms:

   underhand, understaffed

See all 7 meanings of underhanded