underhanded
Meaning
done in a secret or dishonest way
(of a throw or strike in sports) made with the hand or arm moving below the shoulder level
Structure
Usage
he was accused of using underhanded tactics to win the contract.
she made an underhanded toss to her teammate during the drill.
the politician's underhanded dealings were eventually exposed by the press.
Etymology
the word 'underhanded' is a compound adjective formed from native english elements. its literal, original sense in the 16th century pertained to physical action, specifically a throw or stroke made with the hand kept below the shoulder, as in 'an underhanded pitch'. the core logic stems from the spatial metaphor of 'under' (beneath, hidden) combined with 'hand' (the instrument of action). this spatial concept of a concealed or low action naturally evolved into the modern abstract meaning of 'secret' or 'dishonest' by the early 19th century, implying an action done in a covert, sneaky manner, as if kept out of plain sight. the suffix '-ed' simply adjectivizes the compound, resulting in the meaning 'characterized by an underhand action'.
Analysis
under: (old english) a preposition/adverb meaning 'beneath' or 'below'. here, it functions as a prefix indicating a lower position or a concealed manner. hand: (old english) a noun meaning 'the end part of the arm'. here, it functions as the core noun root, referring to the physical hand or, by extension, an action performed by hand. ed: (old english) a suffix used to form adjectives from nouns or verbs, indicating 'having the characteristics of' or 'performed in a specified manner'.