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Underhanded vs Stratagem - What's the difference?

underhanded | stratagem |

As a adjective underhanded

is done by moving the hand (and arm) from below.

As a noun stratagem is

a tactic or artifice designed to gain the upper hand, especially one involving underhanded dealings or deception.

underhanded

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Done by moving the hand (and arm) from below.
  • Sly, dishonest, corrupt, cheating.
  • His underhanded trick backfired and he was disqualified.
  • :An underhanded compliment is actually criticism.
  • Usage notes

    * Nouns to which "underhanded" is often applied: tactic, way, dealing, method, trick, manner, thing, deal, scheme, practice.

    stratagem

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A tactic or artifice designed to gain the upper hand, especially one involving underhanded dealings or deception.
  • * 22 March 2012 , Scott Tobias, AV Club The Hunger Games [http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-hunger-games,71293/]:
  • While Collins does include a love triangle, a coming-of-age story, and other YA-friendly elements in the mix, they serve as a Trojan horse to smuggle readers into a hopeless world where love becomes a stratagem and growing up is a matter of basic survival.