1. (

• backhand

) hit a tennis ball backhand ;

1. (

• backhand ,
• backhanded

) (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke ;

2. (

• backhanded

) roundabout or ambiguous; "attacks from that source amounted to a backhanded compliment to his integrity"; "a backhanded and dishonest way of reaching his goal" ;