Lexic.us

Definition of Sinister

1. Adjective. Threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments. "The situation became ugly"

2. Adjective. Stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable. "The scheme of some sinister intelligence bent on punishing him"

3. Adjective. On or starting from the wearer's left. "Bar sinister"

Definition of Sinister

1. a. On the left hand, or the side of the left hand; left; -- opposed to dexter, or right.

Definition of Sinister

1. Adjective. Inauspicious, ominous, unlucky. ¹

2. Adjective. Evil, seeming to be evil. ¹

3. Adjective. Of the left side. ¹

4. Adjective. (heraldry) The left side of a shield from the wearer's standpoint, and the right side to the viewer. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Sinister

1. threatening or portending evil [adj]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Sinister

sinhs sinical sinicisation sinicise sinicised sinicises sinicization sinicize sinicized sinicizes

sinicizing sinicuichi sinigrase sinigrin sining sinister (current term) sinisterly sinisterness sinisternesses sinisterwise

sinistrad sinistral sinistral fault sinistrality sinistrally sinistre sinistrely sinistrin sinistro- sinistrocardia

Literary usage of Sinister

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Works of Jeremy Bentham by Jeremy Bentham, John Bowring (1843)
"Corruptor or corruptora : parties by whom the benefit from the sinister effect ... But, as by his own hand alone no each sinister sacrifice could be made, ..."

2. The Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and General by Thomas Spencer Baynes (1888)
"... half the breadth, and the ribbon or baton sinister. A bend sinister 1 This Is called also crenellated, and in French ..."

3. The Century Illustrated Monthly Magazine by Roy J. Friedman Mark Twain Collection (Library of Congress) (1913)
"'THE SENSE OF SOMETHING sinister IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE PLACE GREW UPON ... the sense of something sinister in the atmosphere of the place grew upon me. ..."

4. The British Herald; Or, Cabinet of Armorial Bearings of the Nobility by Thomas Robson (1830)
"... each wing charged with a trefoil, slipped, and on the breast the letters FR or ; in the dexter foot a sceptre ; in the sinister, a mound : the sinister ..."

5. The Encyclopedia Americana: A Library of Universal Knowledge (1918)
"... exaggerating the diplomatic demands of Japan and giving a sinister interpretation to all her acts and motives, in the proverb, "a guilty conscience ..."

6. Notes and Queries by Martim de Albuquerque (1862)
"... the arms are аз above ; but he does not state whether the canton is on dexter or sinister side. I apprehend, when no place is named, the dexter side is ..."

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