backhand

plural backhands

1. tennis and otherball gamesA 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. Ultimate FrisbeeThe 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. hobbiesThe hand towards the back of the board.

   Antonyms: forehand

present singular third person backhands · participle present backhanding · participle past backhanded · past backhanded

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.

   1 more example

   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 immediately stop or he will get us killed. Bob says that he was just trying to get us back on track and that he was joking.

   2023 May 23, Alison Green, anonymous quotee, “my coworker got drunk and punched another coworker in the parking lot”, in Ask a Manager (blog), archived from the original on 11 Dec 2024

comparative more backhand · superlative most backhand

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, page 135

2. In the backhand style.
3. hobbiesUsing the back side of the hockey stick.

   He scored on a backhand shot.