scaevus, a, um, adj. [kindred with Sanscr. savya, laevus, sinister, as the Gr. σκαιός and the Germ. schief, oblique], left, that is on the left, towards the left side (rare; most freq. in Appul.; syn. laevus, sinister).
I Lit.: itinera portarum, i. e. running from right to left , Vitr. 1, 5, 2: iter, Serv. Verg. A. 3, 351.—
II Trop.
A Awkward , perverse , stupid , silly : scaevus profecto et caecus animi forem, si, etc., Gell. 12, 13, 4: mulier, Ap. Met. 9, 14, 11; scaevus iste Romulus, Sall. H. Fragm. 1, 41, 5 Dietsch: fabula, Paul. Nol. Carm. 11, 44.—
B Of fortune, unfavorable , untoward , unlucky : fortunam scaevam an saevam verius dixerim, Ap. Met. 2, 13, 7; praesagium, id. ib. 10, 17, 18; 7, 20, 1.— Sup. : scaevissimum somnium, Ap. Met. 4, 27, 1.—Hence, subst.: scaeva , ae, f., a sign or token in the sky (observed by a Roman on his left; v. laevus), an omen : bonae scaevae causă...Ea dicta ab scaevā id est sinistră, quod quae sinistra sunt, bona auspicia existimantur...a Graeco est, quod hi sinistram vocant σκαιάν, Varr. L. L. 7, § 97 Müll.; cf. Fest. p. 325 ib.: bona scaeva est mihi, Plaut. Ps. 4, 7, 39; so, bona, id. Stich. 5, 2, 24: canina scaeva, taken from the barking of a dog , id. Cas. 5, 4, 4.