backhander
noun
Forms backhanders
- 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 (informal) A bribe, a secret payment.
- noun (racquet sports) A shot played backhand, a backhand stroke.
- noun (racquet sports) A player who plays a backhand shot. “She's a terrific backhander.”
- noun (surfing) A surfer who approaches a swell with the wave behind them ("on their backhand") rather than facing the wave ("on their forehand").
Etymology
From backhand + -er (patient suffix) or -er (agent noun suffix).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A backhanded blow.
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “backhander”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details