sĭnister, tra, trum (comp. sinisterior; sup. sinistimus, Prisc. pp. 605 and 607 P.; Fest. s. v. dextimum, p. 74; and s. v. sinistrae, p. 339 Müll.), adj. [etym. dub.; perh. from sinus (i. e. togae); cf. Pott, Etym. Forsch. 2, 555; the ending is a double comp. -is and -ter; cf.: magister, minister].
I Left , on the left , on the left hand or side (syn.: laevus, scaevus): manus sinistra (opp. dextra), Quint. 11, 3, 114: manus, Nep. Dat. 3; Quint. 11, 3, 159: bracchium, id. 11, 3, 141: latus, id. 11, 3, 99: numerus, id. 11, 3, 93; 11, 3, 113; 11, 3, 140: pes, id. 11, 3, 125; 11, 3, 159: cornu (opp. dextrum), Ter. Eun. 775; Caes. B. G. 7, 62; id. B. C. 2, 34; 3, 67 al.: pars, id. B. G. 2, 23; id. B. C. 2, 4 fin. : angulus castrorum, id. ib. 3, 66: ripa, Hor. C. 1, 2, 18: calceus, Suet. Aug. 92: tibia, Phaedr. 5, 7, 7 et saep.—As substt.
1 sĭnistrum , i, n. (sc. latus), the left side : reicere a sinistro togam, Quint. 11, 3, 144; so, in sinistrum, id. 11, 3, 109; 11, 3, 113; 11, 3, 114; 11, 3, 135.—
2 sĭnistra , ae, f. (sc. manus), the left hand , the left : sinistrā impeditā satis commode pugnare non poterant, Caes. B. G. 1, 25; id. B. C. 1, 75 fin. ; Quint. 11, 3, 131; 11, 3, 160; Suet. Claud. 21; Ov. M. 12, 89 et saep.—Used in stealing: natae ad furta sinistrae, Ov. M. 13, 111; cf. Cat. 12, 1; hence, of a thief's accomplices: Porci et Socration, duae sinistrae Pisonis, id. 47, 1.—As bearing the shield and defending: idem (Afer) per allegoriam M. Caelium melius obicientem crimina quam defendentem, Bonam dextram, malam sinistram habere dicebat, Quint. 6, 3, 69—
B Transf., the left side : cur a dextrā corvus, a sinistrā cornix faciat ratum? Cic. Div. 1, 39, 85: aspicite a sinistrā, id. Phil. 6, 5, 12: aspice nunc ad sinistram, Plaut. Merc. 5, 2, 38: sub sinistrā Britanniam relictam conspexit, Caes. B. G. 5, 8: miles dexterā ac sinistrā muro tectus, id. B. C. 2, 15; cf.: innumerabiles supra infra, dextrā sinistrā, ante post ejusmodi mundos esse, Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 40, 125.— Rarely in plur.: sinistris repentino consilio Poetelii consulis additae vires (opp. dextra pars), Liv. 9, 27, 9.— Comp. : in sinisteriore parte (= sinistrā), Varr. L. L. 9, § 34 Müll.; so, cornu (opp. dexterius), Galb. ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 30, 4: bracchium, Suet. Dom. 17: mamma, Cels. 4, 1 med. : equus funalis, Suet. Tib. 6 fin. : rota, Ov. M. 2, 139.— Sup. , v. supra init. —
II Trop.
A Awkward , wrong , perverse , improper (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): mores, Verg. A. 11, 347: liberalitas, Cat. 29, 16: instituta (Judaeorum), Tac. H. 5, 5: natura (with prava), Curt. 7, 4, 10.—
B Unlucky , injurious , adverse , unfavorable , ill , bad , etc. (poet. and in post-Aug. prose): arboribus satisque Notus pecorique sinister, Verg. G. 1, 444: interpretatio, Tac. Agr. 5 fin. ; cf.: sermones de Tiberio, id. A. 1, 74; so, sermones, Plin. Ep. 1, 9, 5: fama eo de homine, Tac. A. 6, 32; 11, 19; id. H. 1, 51 fin. : rumor lenti itineris, id. ib. 2, 93 fin. : diligentia, Plin. Ep. 7, 28, 3 et saep.: pugna Cannensis, Prop. 3, 3 (4, 2), 9: studii signa sinistra mei, Ov. Tr. 5, 7, 64; v. also infra, C. fin. —With gen.: (Hannibal) fidei sinister, faithless , Sil. 1, 56 (cf.: pravos fidei, id. 3, 253).—Subst.: sĭnistrum , i, n., evil : (matrona) studiosa sinistri, Ov. Tr. 2, 257.—
C With respect to auspices and divination, acc. to the Roman notions, lucky , favorable , auspicious (because the Romans on these occasions turned the face towards the south, and so had the eastern or fortunate side on the left; while the Greeks, turning to the north, had it on their right; cf. dexter, II. 2.): ita nobis sinistra videntur, Graiis et barbaris dextra, meliora. Quamquam haud ignoro, quae bona sint, sinistra nos dicere, etiam si dextra sint, etc., Cic. Div. 2, 39, 82; cf.: fulmen sinistrum auspicium optimum habemus ad omnes res praeterquam ad comitia, id. ib. 2, 35, 74 (with this cf. id. Phil. 2, 38, 99): liquido exeo foras Auspicio, avi sinistra, Plaut. Ep. 2, 2, 2; so, avi sinistra, id. Ps. 2, 4, 72; cf. cornix, Verg. E. 9, 15: volatus avium, Plin. Pan. 5, 3: tonitrus, Ov. Tr. 1, 9, 49.—Sometimes in the Greek sense (or in direct reference to the signif. B.), unlucky , unfavorable , inauspicious : di, precor, a nobis omen removete sinistrum, Ov. H. 13, 49: avibus sinistris, id. ib. 2, 115: sinistris auspiciis, Val. Max. 4, 7, 2 fin. : fulmen, Cic. Phil. 2, 38, 99: sinistram approbationem (opp. dextram), Cat. 45, 8 and 17; cf.: sinistro pede proficisci, Ap. Met. 1, 5, 16.—Hence, adv.: sĭnistrē , badly , wrongly , perversely : derisum semel exceptumque sinistre, Hor. A. P. 452: accipere, Tac. H. 1, 7; 3, 52 fin. : non tam sinistre constitutum est, Plin. Pan. 45, 5.