Definition of "underhand"

underhand

/ˈʌn.də(ɹ)ˌ(h)ænd/

adjective
comparative more underhand, superlative most underhand
1. secret; clandestine
2. (by extension) dishonest and sneaky; done in a secret or sly manner
3. (in various ball games, of a ball) thrown (etc.) with the hand brought forward and up from below
adverb
comparative more underhand, superlative most underhand
1. with an underhand movement
2. in a sly, sneaky or secret manner
verb
third-person singular simple present underhands, present participle underhanding, simple past and past participle underhanded
1. To toss or lob with an underhand movement.
  Quotations
  Couture made straight for the refrigerator and returned with cold beer, underhanding them in turn to each of the team members, Sergeant Thi included.
  2010, Michael Hodgins, Reluctant Warrior
  Michael underhanded his half-dozen sticks into the audience as the stage lights went dark and house lights came up at the rear of the auditorium.
  2013, George R.R. Martin, Wild Cards: Inside Straight
  In that era, a pitcher's job was to initiate play by underhanding the ball to the batter in a way that would prevent hard hits but not necessarily in hopes of a strikeout.
  2014, Jack Heffron, The Local Boys: Hometown Players for the Cincinnati Reds, page 60
2. To trick, deceive or gull.
  Quotations
  The time has arrived when monkeying with the public must cease, when lying and underhanding your competitor in the baking business must be banished from the plan of business development.
  1922, Baking Technology - Volumes 1-2, page 193
  The other was that the majority of the purchasing contracts represented “good deals” because suppliers would not wish to be caught underhanding this company due to its size and influence in the market.
  1994, Benjamin Gilad, Business blindspots
  Many have been underhanded by fate and occasionally made to ask, like I once did, if there is a God, and if there is, how could they experience His power.
  2010, Christiana I. Chineme, God Didn't Do It; He Only Signed Off On It, page 149
3. (mining) To excavate downward in successive steps or horizontal slices while positioned above on unbroken ore.
  Quotations
  About one-half the body has been mined by underhanding into mill holes; but with the adoption of the water drill, shrinkage stoping is being largely used and the larger stopes are mined as at Levack.
  1903, Mining Reporter - Volume 47, page 480
  The floors are then extracted by underhanding, and finally the pillars at the levels are trimmed to the minimum size necessary to support the walls.
  1925, Bureau of Mines Information Circular, page 166
  This method is used only in a one-set panel mined from level to level by underhanding into the chute at the foot- wall end of the previous panel.
  1942, Mining Technology - Volume 6, Issue 1, page 9
noun
plural underhands
1. (textiles) The lower of two hands, the hand under the work.