backhanded

Related to backhanded: backhanded compliments

backhanded compliment

An insulting or negative comment disguised as praise. She said my new pants really make my legs look much slimmer. What a backhanded compliment!
See also: backhanded, compliment

left-handed compliment

An insulting or negative comment disguised as praise. She said my new pants really make my legs look much slimmer. What a left-handed compliment!
See also: compliment

pay (one) a backhanded compliment

To insult or negatively criticize one in a manner that is disguised as or seems like a compliment or bit of praise. A: "Those pants really suit you—your legs don't look nearly as fat in them!" B: "Wow, talk about paying someone a backhanded compliment!" It's hard to tell when she's being sarcastic as a joke or when she's really just paying you a backhanded compliment.
See also: backhanded, compliment, pay
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

backhanded compliment

 and left-handed compliment
an unintended or ambiguous compliment. Backhanded compliments are the only kind he ever gives! And I think his left-handed compliments are all given by accident, too!
See also: backhanded, compliment

pay someone a backhanded compliment

 and pay someone a left-handed compliment
Fig. to give someone a false compliment that is really an insult or criticism. John said that he had never seen me looking better. I think he was paying me a left-handed compliment. I'd prefer that someone insulted me directly. I hate it when someone pays me a backhanded compliment—unless it's a joke.
See also: backhanded, compliment, pay
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

left-handed compliment

Also, backhanded compliment. An insult in the guise of an expression of praise. For example, She said she liked my hair, but it turned out to be a left-handed compliment when she asked how long I'd been dyeing it . This expression uses left-handed in the sense of "questionable or doubtful," a usage dating from about 1600.
See also: compliment
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

a backhanded compliment

1. A backhanded compliment is a remark which seems to be praising someone or something but which could also be understood as criticism. Saying she's improved comes over as a backhanded compliment. Reviewers gave the play the backhanded compliment that it was `surprisingly impressive'.
2. A backhanded compliment is a remark which seems to be criticizing someone or something but which could also be understood as praise. They were seen as the ones most in need of some culture. This was a backhanded compliment: it implied that they were capable of appreciating the highest works of art.
See also: backhanded, compliment
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

left-handed compliment

a remark that is superficially complimentary but contains a strong element of adverse criticism.
See also: compliment
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

a ˌbackhanded ˈcompliment

(American English also a ˌleft-handed ˈcompliment) a remark that seems to express admiration but could also be understood as an insult: She told me that my essay was ‘surprisingly good’, which I thought was a backhanded compliment.
See also: backhanded, compliment
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a backhanded compliment
  • backhanded compliment
  • compliment
  • lefthanded
  • left-handed compliment
  • left-handed compliment, a
  • pay (one) a backhanded compliment
  • pay (one) a left-handed compliment
  • pay a backhanded compliment
  • pay compliment
References in periodicals archive
John McEnroe claims the Swiss star has the best one-handed backhand in the game - a real backhanded compliment.
SWISS MISS FOR FED AS STAN IS TOP MAN NOW; RESULT!
The girl with tennis's most beautiful backhand is 6-4 to win a Slam next year and just 3-1 to finish 2010 as world No.1, which is a real backhanded compliment.
Just being a Kim copycat; RESULT!