I. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ adverb
Etymology: under (II) + hand
1.
a. : by secret means : in a clandestine manner : not openly : not fairly
mean revenge, committed underhand — John Dryden
b. archaic : quietly , unobtrusively
2. : with the target seen below the bow hand
3.
[ under (I) + hand ]
: with an underhand motion
toss a ball underhand
II. ˈ ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ adjective
1. : aimed so that the target is seen below the bow hand
underhand shooting at long range
2. : marked by or treated with secrecy, chicanery, and deception or by hidden craft and deceit : not honest, open, and aboveboard : sly
a coward with an underhand streak of cruelty — G.J.Becker
stooping to underhand methods to gain his end
3. : done so as to evade notice : marked by quiet unobtrusiveness or subtlety
from his intellectual superiority he is deemed to exert an underhand influence against the officers — Herman Melville
4. : performed with the hand kept below the level of the shoulder
flip an underhand pass in football
underhand shot for the basket
also : using such a manner of throwing
underhand bowler
underhand pitcher
5. : working from above downward
underhand surface mining
Synonyms: see secret
III. noun
Etymology: underhand (II)
: a ball delivered underhand : an underhand delivery
IV. | ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ transitive verb
Etymology: underhand (I)
: to throw, pass, or pitch (a ball) in an underhand manner