backhand

pronunciation

How to pronounce backhand in British English: UK [ˈbækhænd]word uk audio image

How to pronounce backhand in American English: US [ˈbækˌhænd] word us audio image

  • Noun:
    a return made with the back of the hand facing the direction of the stroke
  • Verb:
    hit a tennis ball backhand
  • Adjective:
    (of racket strokes) made across the body with back of hand facing direction of stroke
    (of handwriting) having the letters slanting from left down to right

Word Origin

backhand (n.)
as a tennis stroke, 1650s, from back (adv.) + hand. As a verb, by 1935. The figurative adjectival sense of "indirect" is from c. 1800. Related: Backhanded; backhanding.

Antonym

Example

1. You can spin it more with a backhand .
2. Soderling saved the first with an unreturnable serve but on the second , federer unleashed a whipped backhand for the set .
3. A one-handed backhand is an elegant stroke .
4. He 's got a great backhand .
5. What a wonderful backhand return !

more: >How to Use "backhand" with Example Sentences