dextĕra or dextra, ae, f. (as in most langg.; cf. Gr. δεξιά, Germ. die Rechte, etc.; sc. manus),
I the right hand (freq. a sign of greeting, of fidelity; a symbol of strength, courage, etc.).
A Prop.: cedo sis dexteram, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 102; Ter. Heaut. 493: quod ego te per hanc dextram oro, id. And. 289; cf.: per dexteram te istam oro, quam, etc., Cic. Deiot. 3; cf. also Sall. J. 10, 3; Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 94 al.; and: dexterae, quae fidei testes esse solebant, Cic. Phil. 11, 2, 5: fidem more Persarum dextra dare, Nep. Dat. 10, 1: vos libertatem atque patriam in dextris vostris portare, Sall. C. 58, 8; cf. Verg. A. 2, 291; Hor. Epod. 7, 10; Ov. M. 13, 176; Sil. 1, 77 et saep.: miserat civitas Lingonum vetere instituto dona legionibus dextras, hospitii insigne, a pair of hands clasped in each other , made of gold, silver, etc., Tac. H. 1, 54; cf. id. ib. 2, 8 (so in Gr. δεξιὰν πέμπειν and φέρειν).— Prov.: dextra tenet calamum; strictum tenet altera ferrum, Ov. H. 11, 3.—
2 Transf.
a The right side : picus et cornix est ab laeva, corvus porro ab dextera, Plaut. As. 2, 1, 12; cf. Cic. Div. 1, 39, 85: ab dextera, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 89; id. Mil. 3, 1, 13; Ter. And. 734; Sall. C. 59, 2; Ov. M. 2, 5 al.: ilico equites jubet dextera inducere, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 88; so, dexterā, id. ib. 177; Caes. B. C. 2, 15, 3; Sall. J. 101, 9; Liv. 21, 43 et saep.: specta ad dexteram, Plaut. Poen. 3, 4, 1; so, ad dexteram, id. Rud. 1, 2, 67; Ter. And. 751; Att. ap. Cic. Div. 1, 22 fin. ; Cic. Univ. 13; Caes. B. C. 1, 69, 3 et saep.—
b Poet., the hand , in gen.: omne sacrum rapiente dextra, Hor. Od. 3, 3, 52; id. S. 2, 1, 54.—
B Trop., pledge of friendship : renovare dextras, Tac. A. 2, 58; cf.: Graecia tendit dexteram Italiae suumque ei praesidium pollicetur, Cic. Phil. 10, 4, 9: nec veriti dominorum fallere dextras, Verg. A. 6, 613; cf. id. ib. 3, 610; Nep. Dat. 10, 1; Just. 11, 15, 13: ne fas, fidem, dextras, deos testes fallat, Liv. 29, 24.