low blow

See synonyms for low blow on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. (in boxing) an illegal blow below the waist of an opponent.

  2. an unfair or unsportsmanlike criticism or attack.

Origin of low blow

1
First recorded in 1950–55

Words Nearby low blow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use low blow in a sentence

  • He had no idea I wasn't interested in his other hanky-panky, but could tell I had had a low blow.

    The Misplaced Battleship | Harry Harrison (AKA Henry Maxwell Dempsey)

Other Idioms and Phrases with low blow

low blow

An unscrupulous attack; an insult. For example, When my roommate moved out without a word of warning, leaving me to pay the entire rent, that was a low blow, or She wanted to win the argument, but bringing up his failed marriage was a low blow. This term alludes to the illegal practice of hitting an opponent in boxing below the belt. [c. 1950]

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.