Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

backhander

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 1.51 in modern English

Syllables: back-han-der
IPA

22

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A glass of wine given out of turn, the bottle having been handed backwards.

noun

A blow with the back of the hand; a blow delivered with a swing of the arm across the chest.

noun

A bribe, a secret payment.

Informal

noun

A shot played backhand, a backhand stroke.

noun

A player who plays a backhand shot.

noun

A surfer who approaches a swell with the wave behind them ("on their backhand") rather than facing the wave ("on their forehand").

Example Sentences

"I thought he would have given me a backhander with his jelly spoon[.]"
"She's a terrific backhander."
"The morning brought an increased swell; long, perfect, down-the-line, 6-8' freight trains — a forehander's dream and a backhander's nightmare"

Etymology

From backhand + -er (patient suffix) or -er (agent noun suffix).

Usage

Informal

Inflected Forms

backhanders (plural)

Questions

What does backhander mean?: A glass of wine given out of turn, the bottle having been handed backwards.
Where does backhander come from?: From backhand + -er (patient suffix) or -er (agent noun suffix).

How to pronounce backhander

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