English

Noun

left-handed compliment ‎(plural left-handed compliments)

1. (idiomatic) A complimentary remark which is ambiguous or ineptly worded, so that it may be interpreted as having an unflattering or dismissive sense.
   • 1921, E. Phillips Oppenheim, Nobody's Man, ch. 16:

     "We have sat through the whole of dinner and not once mentioned politics."

     "You made us forget them," Tallente murmured.

     "A left-handed compliment," Jane laughed.

   • 1964 Oct. 30, "The Morning After," Time (retrieved 7 Oct 2013):

     In a somewhat left-handed compliment, UN Secretary-General U Thant described Russia's new bosses as "competent and unpretentious."

   • 2006 March 19, David Orr, "On Poetry: Samuel Menashe—New and Selected Poems," New York Times (retrieved 7 Oct 2013):

     [C]alling someone a "neglected master" makes for one **** of a left-handed compliment.

Synonyms

• backhanded compliment

See also

• damn with faint praise

References

• left-handed compliment at OneLook Dictionary Search