underhand
adjective /ˈʌndəhand 
/
/1Acting or done in a secret or dishonest way: underhand dealings...
- Surely it is the politicians that have brought politics into disrepute with their spin culture, deceit, half-truths and underhand dealings?
- In the end, it was all right, I was cleared of any underhand dealings.
- There is nothing covert or underhand about what has been going on here.
Synonyms
deceitful, underhanded, dishonest, dishonourable, disreputable, unethical, unprincipled, immoral, unscrupulous, fraudulent, cheating, dubious, dirty, unfair, treacherous, duplicitous, double-dealing, below the belt, two-timing, two-faced, Janus-faced, unsporting, unsportsmanlike;
devious, calculating, artful, crafty, cunning, conniving, scheming, designing, sly, wily, guileful, tricky;
criminal, illegal, unlawful, nefarious;
secret, secretive, clandestine, surreptitious, sneaky, sneaking, furtive, covert, veiled, shrouded, cloak-and-dagger, hugger-mugger, hole-and-corner, hidden, back-alley, backstairs, under the table, conspiratorial;
North American snide, snidey
informal crooked, shady, bent, low-down, murky, fishy
British informal dodgy
Australian/New Zealand informal shonky
South African informal slim
2 another term for underarm. underhand bowling [as adverb]: I served underhand...
- Almost every player shot a two-handed underhand free throw that started from around the knees, or lower.
- While none of the Barry kids took to shooting free throws underhand, they resemble their father in other ways.
- He thrived with a peculiar underhand delivery, behind which there's another story, perhaps true.
2.1With the palm of the hand upward or outward: an underhand grip...
- Hold handle with your right hand in an underhand grip, palm up.
- Grasping the bar with an underhand (palms facing up) grip, hands about shoulder-width apart, she pulls the bar in toward her abdomen.
- The bow is held underhand with the palm upwards, the up-bow therefore being the stronger bowstroke.
Origin
Old English in the sense 'in or into subjection, under control' (see under-, hand).