handed

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

catch someone red-handed and catch someone flat-footed

to catch a person in the act of doing something wrong. (See also caught red-handed.) Tom was stealing the car when the police drove by and caught him red-handed. Mary tried to cash a forged check at the bank, and the teller caught her red-handed.

See also: catch

caught in the act and caught red-handed

Fig. seen doing something illegal or private. (See also catch someone in the act (of doing something) and catch someone red-handed.) Tom was caught in the act and cannot deny what he did. Many car thieves are caught red-handed.

See also: act, caught

come away empty-handed

to return without anything. All right, go gambling. Don't come away empty-handed, though. Go to the bank and ask for the loan again. This time don't come away empty-handed.

See also: away, come

go away empty-handed

Fig. to depart with nothing. I hate for you to go away empty-handed, but I cannot afford to contribute any money. They came hoping for some food, but they had to go away empty-handed.

See also: away

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

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a back-handed compliment  (British, American & Australian) also a left-handed compliment (American)

a remark which seems approving but which is also negative He gave me that classic back-handed compliment. He said I played football very well 'for a woman'.

See return the compliment

See also: compliment

cack-handed 

1. (British & Australian informal) lacking skill with your hands Rob made a cack-handed attempt to fix the door and now it won't close at all. She doesn't strike me as the practical sort - she's a bit cack-handed.

2. (British & Australian informal) lacking skill in the way that you deal with people What struck me was the cack-handed way that he dealt with the whole situation.

catch somebody red-handed

to discover someone doing something illegal or wrong (often + doing sth) I caught him red-handed trying to break into my car.

See also: catch

ham-fisted  (British) also ham-handed (American)

1. lacking skill with the hands I hoped you weren't watching my ham-fisted attempts to get the cake out of the tin.

2. lacking skill in the way that you deal with people The report criticizes the ham-fisted way in which complaints are dealt with.

heavy-handed 

1. if you try to control someone or something in a heavy-handed way, you use more force than is necessary or suitable His heavy-handed style of management is extremely unpopular.

2. if an attempt to tell or teach someone something is heavy-handed, it is too obvious The theme of drug abuse is treated in a way that is convincing without being heavy-handed.