English Dictionary

backhanded

/ˈbækˌhændəd/

adj

With the back of the hand. / Involving a backward flip of the hand. / Insincere, sarcastic, ironic, or self-contradictory. / Indirect. / Backwards, turned around. / (of writing) inclining to the left

He gave her a backhanded compliment.

意味（1）

With the back of the hand.

The trader roars like an animal whose paw has been caught in a trap, but he hauls back his other arm and lands a backhanded blow to the side of her head that knocks her sideways onto the babushki bench.

意味（2）

Involving a backward flip of the hand.

Some casters can do a cross-body or backhanded cast quite effectively.

意味（3）

Insincere, sarcastic, ironic, or self-contradictory.

Don't mistake this for even a backhanded compliment; that at least takes a wry sense of imagination. This is a patronizing compliment, which is worse than no compliment at all.

意味（4）

Indirect.

Only in grade 5 is he mentioned and in this backhanded way: George Darwin, son of the famous English scientist, Charles Darwin. . . . But for what is Charles Darwin famous? You won't find it in the California elementary science textbooks.

意味（5）

Backwards, turned around.

No one ever believed that Leif meant any harm, but all the luck he brought was backhanded.

意味（6）

(of writing) inclining to the left

In this particular instance the writing begins backhanded, and there is a reversion to the right-handed type, -- an unconscious reversion, which makes me think that is the natural method of writing;

意味（7）

Retrospective, occurring after the fact rather than in advance.

...but that is really a backhanded rent, because I have sold all the produce of my farm six months before I am called upon to pay the last six months' rent.

意味（8）

Self-serving, corrupt, slipshod, or neglectful.

Perhaps omitting Weber from footnotes is intended to avenge his backhanded treatment of the American Puritans (and by extension their academic champions), whom he virtually ignored—albeit with unhappy consequences for his own work.