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What is the difference between sinister and left?

sinister | left |

Sinister is a synonym of left.


As adjectives the difference between sinister and left

is that sinister is inauspicious]], ominous, unlucky, illegitimate (as in [[w:bar sinister|bar sinister ) while left is the opposite of right; toward the west when one is facing north.

As a adverb left is

on the left side.

As a noun left is

the left side or direction.

As a verb left is

(leave) or left can be (ireland|colloquial) permitted, allowed to proceed.

sinister

English

Alternative forms

* sinistre (obsolete)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Inauspicious]], ominous, unlucky, illegitimate (as in [[w:bar sinister, bar sinister ).
  • * Ben Jonson
  • All the several ills that visit earth, / Brought forth by night, with a sinister birth.
  • *'>citation
  • Evil or seemingly evil; indicating lurking danger or harm.
  • sinister influences
    the sinister atmosphere of the crypt
  • Of the left side.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Here on his sinister cheek.
  • * Shakespeare
  • My mother's blood / Runs on the dexter cheek, and this sinister / Bounds in my father's.
  • * 1911 , (Saki), ‘The Unrest-Cure’, The Chronicles of Clovis :
  • Before the train had stopped he had decorated his sinister shirt-cuff with the inscription, ‘J. P. Huddle, The Warren, Tilfield, near Slowborough.’
  • (heraldry) On the left side of a shield from the wearer's standpoint, and the right side to the viewer.
  • (obsolete) Wrong, as springing from indirection or obliquity; perverse; dishonest.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Nimble and sinister tricks and shifts.
  • * South
  • He scorns to undermine another's interest by any sinister or inferior arts.
  • * Sir Walter Scott
  • He read in their looks sinister intentions directed particularly toward himself.

    Antonyms

    * (of the right side): dexter * (heraldry): dexter

    Derived terms

    * bar sinister * baton sinister * bend sinister * sinister aspect * sinister base * sinister chief * sinistral

    Anagrams

    * ----

    left

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) left, luft, leoft, lift, lyft, from (etyl) left, . More at (l), (l).

    Adjective

  • The opposite of right; toward the west when one is facing north.
  • Turn left at the corner.
  • (politics) pertaining to the political left; liberal.
  • Synonyms
    * left-hand * sinister * sinistral
    Antonyms
    * right
    Derived terms
    * left-hand * left-handed * left wing * two left feet

    Adverb

    (-)
  • On the left side.
  • Towards the left side.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The left side or direction.
  • (politics) The ensemble of left-wing political parties. Those holding left-wing views as a group.
  • The political left is not holding enough power.
  • (boxing) A punch delivered with the left fist.
  • Synonyms
    * (left side or direction) , port * (politics)
    Derived terms
    * lefty * to the left

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) left, variant of . More at leave.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (leave).
  • * , chapter=8
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=Afore we got to the shanty Colonel Applegate stuck his head out of the door. His temper had been getting raggeder all the time, and the sousing he got when he fell overboard had just about ripped what was left of it to ravellings.}}
  • Remaining.
  • Etymology 3

    From a verbal use of . More at leave.

    Verb

    (head)
  • (Ireland, colloquial) permitted, allowed to proceed.
  • We were not left go to the beach after school except on a weekend.

    References

    * The Concise Dictionary of English Etymology, Walter W. Skeat.

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