*khan*

n. [ Back, adv. + hand. ] 1. A kind of handwriting in which the downward slope of the letters is from left to right. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Sports) The stroke of a ball with a racket or paddle, in which head of the racket starts from the side of the body opposite to that of the arm in which the racket is held, and proceeds forward to meet the ball. Contrasted with forehand. [ PJC ]

a. 1. Sloping from left to right; -- said of handwriting. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Backhanded; indirect; oblique. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. With the hand turned backward; as, a backhanded blow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Indirect; awkward; insincere; sarcastic; as, a backhanded compliment. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Turned back, or inclining to the left; as, backhanded letters. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & adv. (Sport) Stroked with a backhand{ 2 }; as, a backhanded drive. [ PJC ]

n. State of being backhanded; the using of backhanded or indirect methods. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A backhanded blow. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a laborer who loads and unloads vessels in a port.
Syn. -- stevedore, loader, longshoreman, docker, dock worker, dock-walloper, lumper. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Pers. & Tart. khān. ] [ Also kan, kaun. ] A king; a prince; a chief; a governor; -- so called among the Tartars, Turks, and Persians, and in countries now or formerly governed by them. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Per. khān, khānah, house, tent, inn. ] An Eastern inn or caravansary. [ Written also kawn. ] [ 1913 Webster ]