| 单词 | sinister |
| 释义 | sinister (once / 721 pages) adj People who are left-handed might feel unlucky having to use a desk designed for right-handers, but there probably wasn't any sinister, or evil, intent behind the design. Or was there? In the 15th century, when the word sinister came into use in English, people who were left-handed were thought to be bad luck or even evil. In his play Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote of the villain holding a human skull in his sinister — i.e., left — hand. It would seem to be sinister, or wicked, enough to see a human skull in the right hand, not to mention unlucky for the person missing a head in the first place. WORD FAMILYsinister: sinisterly USAGE EXAMPLESIn truth, the explanation for soaring prices is “much more straightforward and sinister — collusion among generic drug competitors,” the complaint said. Seattle Times(Dec 26, 2016) And during his time with Death Row, Tupac’s music grew increasingly sinister. The Guardian(Dec 21, 2016) My classic teenage rebellion morphed into something more sinister, a wish for a new and superior set of parents who would understand me. The Guardian(Dec 17, 2016) 1adj stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable "the scheme of some sinister intelligence bent on punishing him"-Thomas Hardy Syn black, dark evil morally bad or wrong 2adj threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments sinister storm clouds a sinister smile Syn baleful, forbidding, menacing, minacious, minatory, ominous, threatening alarming frightening because of an awareness of danger 3adj on or starting from the wearer's left bar sinister Syn sinistral of or on the left |
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