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Sly vs Backhanded - What's the difference?

sly | backhanded |

As adjectives the difference between sly and backhanded

is that sly is artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily while backhanded is with the hand turned backward.

As an adverb sly

is slyly.

As a verb backhanded is

(backhand).

sly

English

(Webster 1913)

Alternative forms

* (l) (obsolete)

Adjective

  • Artfully cunning; secretly mischievous; wily.
  • Dexterous in performing an action, so as to escape notice; nimble; skillful; cautious; shrewd; knowing; — in a good sense.
  • Done with, and marked by, artful and dexterous secrecy; subtle; as, a sly trick.
  • Light or delicate; slight; thin.

    • Synonyms

    * artful * cunning * knowing * sharp * crafty * shrewd * shifty * sly as a fox * slim * wily * See also

    Derived terms

    * sly as a fox * slyboots * slyness

    External links

    * *

    Adverb

  • Slyly.

    • Anagrams

    * ----

    backhanded

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • With the hand turned backward.
    • a backhanded blow
  • Indirect; awkward; insincere; sarcastic.
    • a backhanded compliment
  • Turned back
  • (of writing) inclining to the left
    • backhanded letters

    Verb

    (head)
  • (backhand)

    • See also

    * backhand