underhand

underhand

I

un‧der‧hand¹ /ˌʌndəˈhænd◂ $ ˈʌndərhænd/ (also un‧der‧hand‧ed /ˌʌndəˈhændəd, ˌʌndəˈhændɪd $ ˌʌndər-/) adjectivedishonest and done secretly:
    They did it all in such an underhand way.
    He’s been involved in some underhand dealings.
⇨ overhand
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ dishonest behaving in a way that is intended to deceive people, for example by lying, cheating, or stealing: Are you accusing me of being dishonest? | The money was acquired through dishonest means. | People are no longer surprised to find that politicians are dishonest.
   ▪ corrupt using your power in a dishonest way for your own advantage – used about people in official positions: corrupt politicians | Law and order has broken down, and most government officials are corrupt.
   ▪ devious /ˈdiːviəs/ good at secretly thinking of clever plans to trick people in order to get what you want: You have a very devious mind! | They use all kinds of devious methods to find out your personal details.
   ▪ underhand British English, underhanded American English underhand methods involve secretly deceiving people in order to get what you want: In a series of underhand moves, Browne managed to gain control of the company.
   ▪ sneaky doing or saying things secretly, in a way that seems wrong because it is slightly dishonest or unfair: It was pretty sneaky when the bank charged me interest on my account without telling me.
   ▪ sly deliberately behaving in a way that hides what you are really thinking or doing, in a way that is slightly dishonest: Lucy decided not to tell him where she was going. She was often a bit sly like that. | He’s a sly old fox.
   ▪ unscrupulous /ʌnˈskruːpjələs, ʌnˈskruːpjʊləs/ using dishonest and unfair methods to get what you want, without caring if you harm other people: Some unscrupulous companies try to persuade people to borrow huge sums of money.
   ▪ fraudulent /ˈfrɔːdjələnt, ˈfrɔːdjʊlənt $ ˈfrɒːdʒə-/ formal deliberately deceiving people in an illegal way in order to gain money or power: You will be prosecuted if you make a fraudulent claim on your insurance policy.

II

underhand² adverb American English
if you throw a ball underhand, you throw it without moving your arm above your shoulder
   SYN  underarm British English