backhand

American  

[bak-hand] / ˈbækˌhænd /

noun

1. a stroke, slap, etc., made with the palm of the hand turned toward the body and the back of the hand turned in the direction of the stroke, slap, etc.

2. (in tennis, squash, etc.) a stroke made from the side of the body opposite to that of the hand holding the racket, paddle, etc.

3. handwriting that slopes toward the left.

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adjective

1. backhanded.

2. (in tennis, squash, etc.) of, relating to, or noting a stroke made from the side of the body opposite to that of the hand holding the racket, paddle, etc.

adverb

1. with the back of the hand.

   He hit him backhand across the face.

2. from across the body; backhanded.

   She returned the ball backhand on the first serve.

verb (used with object)

1. to strike with the back of the hand.

2. to hit, produce, or accomplish with a backhand.

3. to catch (a ball or the like) backhanded.

backhand British  

/ ˈbækˌhænd /

noun

1. sport

   1. a stroke made across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke

   2. ( as modifier )

      a backhand return

2. the side on which backhand strokes are made

3. handwriting slanting to the left

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adverb

1. with a backhand stroke

verb

1. sport to play (a shot) backhand

Etymology

Origin of backhand

First recorded in 1650–60; back ² + hand

Example Sentences

That No 10 feels the need to criticise the Greens is a backhanded compliment that shows they matter.

From BBC

The first set went with serve with few meaningful rallies, until Alcaraz unleashed a backhand winner at 3-3 to earn the first break point of the match.

From Barron's

One professional, Isaac Rose-Berman, gives an example of his methods: He saw that left-handed servers in tennis, more often than not, win a point against right-handed opponents with weak backhands.

From The Wall Street Journal

But she blazed through the first set, wrapping it up with a scorching backhand winner down the line.

From Barron's

It went to eight deuces before a netted backhand allowed Siniakova to level the set at 3-3 before another ding-dong battle in the next game.

From Barron's