Related Searches
Nearby Words

backhand

 [bak-hand]   Origin

back·hand

   [bak-hand]
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.
Tennis Backhand www.shopcompanion.com/ Stores, Reviews & Recommendations For Quality Shopping & Savings Here
Ad
adjective
4.
backhanded.
5.
(in tennis, squash, etc.) of, pertaining to, or noting a stroke made from the side of the body opposite to that of the hand holding the racket, paddle, etc. Compare forehand (def. 1).

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Backhand is one of our favorite verbs.
So is skedaddle. Does it mean:
to bark; yelp.
to run away hurriedly; flee.
LEARN MORE FUN, UNUSUAL VERBS WITH WORD DYNAMO...
adverb
6.
with the back of the hand: He hit him backhand across the face.
7.
from across the body; backhanded: She returned the ball backhand on the first serve.
verb (used with object)
8.
to strike with the back of the hand.
9.
to hit, produce, or accomplish with a backhand.
10.
to catch (a ball or the like) backhanded.
Origin:
1650–60; back2 + hand
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To backhand
Collins
World English Dictionary
backhand (ˈbækˌhænd)
 
—n
1.  sport
 a.  a stroke made across the body with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke
 b.  (as modifier): a backhand return
2.  the side on which backhand strokes are made
3.  handwriting slanting to the left
 
—adv
4.  with a backhand stroke
 
—vb
5.  sport to play (a shot) backhand

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

backhand
as a tennis stroke, 1650s, from back (adj.) + hand. The fig. sense of "indirect" is from c.1800.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Partners:WordBloglinesCitysearchThe Daily BeastAsk AnswersAsk KidsLife123SendoriThesaurus
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT