Meaning & use
forehand
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Meanings
nouncountable
a stroke in tennis and similar sports made with the palm facing forward as you swing
Grammar: Countable: hit a forehand, hit two forehands. Often used before another noun: a forehand shot.
Patterns
- hit a forehand
- a forehand shot
- with the forehand
She won the point with a powerful forehand down the line.
His forehand is much stronger than his backhand.
The coach told me to step forward and hit the forehand earlier.
adjectivebefore a noun
describing a stroke made with the palm facing forward
Grammar: Used before a noun: a forehand volley, a forehand return.
Patterns
- forehand shot
- forehand side
- forehand volley
He practiced his forehand volley for an hour.
Her forehand return was too strong for the server.
Word forms
| plural | forehands |
|---|
Common combinations
- hit a forehand
- She hit a forehand cross-court to win the game.
- forehand shot
- His forehand shot landed just inside the baseline.
- forehand side
- Most players are stronger on the forehand side.
- forehand grip
- Use an eastern forehand grip for more topspin.
Synonyms and how they differ
- drive
- A forceful shot in tennis; 'drive' can be hit on either side, while 'forehand' names the side and hand position.
Opposites
Word family
- forehanded adjective
- Rare; means having a forehand, or (old-fashioned) prudent.
Commonly confused: forehand or backhand?
forehand vs backhand
The opposite stroke: in a backhand the back of the hand faces the direction of the swing.
Practice
In tennis, a stroke made with the palm facing the direction of the swing is called a ______.
Choose one answer.
'Forehand' matches the description of the palm facing forward. 'Backhand' is the opposite, 'volley' is a shot hit before the ball bounces, and 'serve' starts the point.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “forehand”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.