backhander

A backhander is most commonly a secret, often illegal payment made to someone in power to influence decisions. In ordinary speech it usually means a shady “under-the-table” deal, a payoff, or a bribe intended to bypass fairness and procedure.

The term also has literal uses: in racket sports it can mean a backhand shot, and in a fight it can mean a strike with the back of the hand. These literal senses exist, but they are used much less often.

The term is flexible, but its dominant everyday meaning is a secret bribe or kickback—money or favors paid to someone with authority so they will act unfairly. In those cases, the exchange is hidden, unofficial, and usually illegal, because it tries to buy influence rather than earn it.

You can also hear it used in two physical ways. In sports like tennis or squash, it can refer to a backhand shot. In a confrontation, it may mean a slap or strike made with the back of the hand. These are literal senses of the same word form, but they are secondary to its figurative meaning in public life.

When someone says a person took a backhander, the idea is usually serious wrongdoing: abuse of office, conflict of interest, or unfair advantage for money. It points to dishonesty and often to systemic corruption, which is why the word is strongly negative in modern usage.