[UNDER-2. Cf. MDu. onderhande(n) by degrees, slowly; Du. onderhandsch secret, private; Da. underhaanden secretly, privately.]
† 1. a. In (or into) subjection; under rule or command. Obs.
a. 900. Daniel, 71. Hie … ʓelæddon … Israela cyn on eastweʓas … under hand … hæðenum deman.
a. 1000. in Thorpe, Laws (1840), II. 218, note. Æʓhwæðer ʓa bisceope underhand.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6442. Þis ilk folk was vntelland, Þat moyses had vnder hand. Ibid., 7057. Labdon þan had þam vnder-hand, Was ouerman aght yeir lastand.
† b. In (one’s) possession or power. Obs.
a. 1200. in Kemble, Codex Dipl. (1846), IV. 268. Ðat lond ðat Berric hauede under hande.
c. 1200. in Thorpe, Dipl. Angl. Sax (1865), 581. Alle þinge þe hi under honde habben buten þat lond.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2984. Þo he adde þe luþer king agag vnder honde, He let him hewe to peces.
† c. In hand; in course of doing. Obs.
c. 1400. Ywaine & Gaw., 3478. This batayl wil he undertake, And he haves yit in other land Ful felle dedes underhand.
1693. Mem. Ct. Teckely, IV. 26. Which made the People have a suspicion that there was a Design under hand, but it could not be discovered.
† 2. a. Archery. (Meaning uncertain.) Obs. rare.
1545. Ascham, Toxoph., II. (Arb.), 126. Those that be lytle brested and big toward the hede … be fit for them whiche shote vnder hande. Ibid., 164. A byg brested shafte [is bad] for hym that shoteth vnder hande…: a little brested shafte for him yat shoteth aboue ye hande.
15[?]. ? Robin Hoode & Qu. Kath., xxix. (Percy MS.). Loxly puld forth a broad arrowe, He shott it vnder hand.
b. (See quot. 1834.)
1721. S. Sewall, Diary, 13 Nov. Went to the Funeral…. The Sight was awfull to see the Father, and then the daughter underhand by four.
1834. Mrs. Bray, Warleigh, xx. The coffin … was borne ‘underhand,’ as it is called in Devonshire, that is carried by bearers, about a foot from the ground, by napkins passed through the coffin-rings.
c. (See quot.)
1771. Luckombe, Hist. Print., 502. The Light and Easy, or Heavy and Hard Running in of the Carriage. Thus…, the Press goes light and easy under Hand, or it goes heavy or hard under Hand.
1888. Jacobi, Printers’ Vocab., s.v.
d. With the hand held below; spec. in Cricket (see UNDERHAND a. 1 c).
1828. in Box, Cricket (1868), 77. The ball must be bowled … and delivered underhand with the hand below the elbow.
1885. Graphic, 14 Feb., 166/1. He … drew out a pair of steel handcuffs, which he … threw up and caught underhand in the air.
3. In a secret, covert, or stealthy manner; by secret means; quietly or unobtrusively.
Common from c. 1580; formerly often written as two words (β), or with hyphen (γ).
α. 1538. Elyot, Suppilo, to steale vnderhand [1545 vnder hande] or craftily.
1580. Campion, in Allen, Martyrdom (1908), 22. Neither can I tell who altered his determination saving God, to whom vnderhand I then humbly praied.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 215. The rest being put to the sword, saue those that were vnderhand saued by the Sidonians.
1654. Gataker, Disc. Apol., 44. Being underhand backed and fed with money by two Tenants.
1684. W. Hedges, Diary (Hakl. Soc.), I. 148. He told me that Mr. Richard Frenchfeild was, underhand, a grent favorer of ye Interlopers.
1733. Neal, Hist. Purit., II. 605. His Majesty was underhand preparing for war.
1792. Burke, Corr. (1844), III. 375. I should not be surprised if he did all he could, underhand, to lessen you in the opinion … of those who employ you.
1814. Scott, Wav., lxiv. Bailie Macwheeble provided Janet underhand with meal for their maintenance.
1894. Stevenson & L. Osbourne, Ebb Tide, vii. Approaching that island underhand like eavesdroppers and thieves.
β. 1545. [see α].
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 305/1. The same Stigand was an helper vnder hande for king William to atteyne the Crowne.
1611. Tourneur, Ath. Trag., III. iii. He does it under hand, out of a reseru’d disposition to doe thee good without ostentation.
1653. H. Cogan, trans. Pinto’s Trav., x. 31. He … used the interposure of a Man born in the country, who under hand went to the fishermen.
1726. Cavallier, Mem., I. 103. Commonly we liv’d by the Assistance of our Friends, who under Hand supplied us in our Marches, with Bread and other Necessaries.
γ. 1583. Bowes & Davison, in B.’s Corr. (Surtees), 336. He laboureth under-hand to work a peace between the duke and Gowrie.
1639. S. Du Verger, trans. Camus’ Admir. Events, 221. Meane time he under-hand advertises Appollinaire to go always well accompanied.
1683. Lond. Gaz., No. 1807/3. They begin very much to suspect that … he does under-hand encourage the Turks to the War.
1705. trans. Bosman’s Guinea, 362. These Gentlemen … agree under-hand with those who sell the Slaves.
1748. Anson’s Voy., II. iii. 148. In appearance to acquiesce in this resolution, whilst he endeavoured under-hand to give it all the obstruction he could.
1818. Scott, Br. Lamm., xx. That friend … was labouring hard under-hand to consolidate a band of patriots.
† 4. = UNDERFOOT adv. 3. Obs.–1
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 55. If he bring his Horse thither, those that are to buy him, are such crafty knaues,… as he shall be forced to sell his Horse vnder hand.
