| 释义 |
backhanded
back·hand·ed B0012400 (băk′hăn′dĭd)adj.1. Sports Made with or using a backhand: a backhanded shot into the opponent's court.2. Oblique or roundabout: "Maybe [avant-garde novels'] frustrating lack of plot is a backhanded tribute to plots" (Harvey Cox).3. Having derogatory or insulting implications: "Everyone...said how wonderful, how glamorous she looked, but even that was a sort of backhanded compliment, with the unspoken addendum, for your age" (Freda Warrington).
back′hand′ed·ly adv.back′hand′ed·ness n.backhanded (ˌbækˈhændɪd) adj1. (of a blow, shot, stroke, etc) performed with the arm moving across the body2. double-edged; equivocal: a backhanded compliment. 3. (of handwriting) slanting to the left4. (Knots) (of a rope) twisted in the opposite way to the normal right-handed directionadvin a backhanded manner ˌbackˈhandedly adv ˌbackˈhandedness nback•hand•ed (ˈbækˌhæn dɪd)
adj. 1. performed with the back of the hand turned or facing forward: a backhanded stroke. 2. sloping in a downward direction from left to right: backhanded writing. 3. oblique or ambiguous in meaning: a backhanded compliment. adv. 4. with the hand across the body; backhand: He caught the ball backhanded. [1790–1800] back′hand`ed•ly, adv. back′hand`ed•ness, n. Thesaurus| Adj. | 1. |  backhanded - (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of strokebackhand | | 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"indirect - extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action; "making indirect but legitimate inquiries"; "an indirect insult"; "doubtless they had some indirect purpose in mind"; "though his methods are indirect they are not dishonest"; "known as a shady indirect fellow" |
backhandedadjective1. ambiguous, ironic, indirect, sarcastic, oblique, sardonic, double-edged, equivocal, with tongue in cheek a backhanded compliment2. indirect, rambling, roundabout, meandering, devious, oblique, circuitous, circumlocutory, periphrastic In a backhanded way, he raises yet another objection.Translationsbackhanded
backhanded complimentAn insulting or negative comment disguised as praise. She said my new pants really make my legs look much slimmer. What a backhanded compliment!See also: backhanded, complimentleft-handed complimentAn insulting or negative comment disguised as praise. She said my new pants really make my legs look much slimmer. What a left-handed compliment!See also: complimentpay (one) a backhanded complimentTo insult or negatively criticize one in a manner that is disguised as or seems like a compliment or bit of praise. A: "Those pants really suit you—your legs don't look nearly as fat in them!" B: "Wow, talk about paying someone a backhanded compliment!" It's hard to tell when she's being sarcastic as a joke or when she's really just paying you a backhanded compliment.See also: backhanded, compliment, paybackhanded compliment and left-handed complimentan unintended or ambiguous compliment. Backhanded compliments are the only kind he ever gives! And I think his left-handed compliments are all given by accident, too!See also: backhanded, complimentpay someone a backhanded compliment and pay someone a left-handed complimentFig. to give someone a false compliment that is really an insult or criticism. John said that he had never seen me looking better. I think he was paying me a left-handed compliment. I'd prefer that someone insulted me directly. I hate it when someone pays me a backhanded compliment—unless it's a joke.See also: backhanded, compliment, payleft-handed complimentAlso, backhanded compliment. An insult in the guise of an expression of praise. For example, She said she liked my hair, but it turned out to be a left-handed compliment when she asked how long I'd been dyeing it . This expression uses left-handed in the sense of "questionable or doubtful," a usage dating from about 1600. See also: complimenta backhanded compliment 1. A backhanded compliment is a remark which seems to be praising someone or something but which could also be understood as criticism. Saying she's improved comes over as a backhanded compliment. Reviewers gave the play the backhanded compliment that it was `surprisingly impressive'.2. A backhanded compliment is a remark which seems to be criticizing someone or something but which could also be understood as praise. They were seen as the ones most in need of some culture. This was a backhanded compliment: it implied that they were capable of appreciating the highest works of art.See also: backhanded, complimentleft-handed compliment a remark that is superficially complimentary but contains a strong element of adverse criticism.See also: complimenta ˌbackhanded ˈcompliment (American English also a ˌleft-handed ˈcompliment) a remark that seems to express admiration but could also be understood as an insult: She told me that my essay was ‘surprisingly good’, which I thought was a backhanded compliment.See also: backhanded, complimentbackhanded
Related to backhanded: backhanded complimentsSynonyms for backhandedadj ambiguousSynonyms- ambiguous
- ironic
- indirect
- sarcastic
- oblique
- sardonic
- double-edged
- equivocal
- with tongue in cheek
adj indirectSynonyms- indirect
- rambling
- roundabout
- meandering
- devious
- oblique
- circuitous
- circumlocutory
- periphrastic
Synonyms for backhandedadj (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of strokeSynonymsadj roundabout or ambiguousRelated Words |