sinisterly, adv.
(ˈsɪnɪstəlɪ)
Forms: see sinister a.; also 6 -lye, 6–7 -lie.
[f. sinister a. + -ly2. Cf. L. sinistrē, F. sinistrement.]
1. In an inauspicious or unlucky manner; unfortunately; ominously.
| 1465 Paston Lett. II. 174 Yff onye thyng falle sinistrely only yn theyr deffaut, as God defend. 1586 Warner Alb. Eng. ii. vii. (1602) 30 Beholding how sinisterly the double fight hath past. 1611 Cotgr., Malheureusement,..vnluckily, vnfortunately, sinisterly, disastrously. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. i. 37 If any thing sinisterlie happen unto him through his owne temeritie. 1930 D. H. Lawrence A Propos of Lady Chatterley's Lover 6 The effect is peculiarly depressing, sinisterly high-brow. 1946 G. Millar Horned Pigeon xxi. 346 The ducks looked happy and healthy, perhaps sinisterly so. 1969 [see rentier]. 1974 E. Jones Barlow comes to Judgement 48 There is nothing sinisterly secret about the WHY Club. |
† 2. In a derogatory manner; with malicious depreciation. Obs.
| 1491 Caxton Vitas Patr. (W. de W. 1495) ii. 260 b/1 They asked what man..had so euyll and synystryly spoken of the sayd abbot. 1506 Eng. Misc. (Surtees, 1890) 52 Oon Bartrame Dawson..is senysterly defamed that he shulde be a Scottysshman borne. 1579 Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 158 Heiring that his just and necessarie intentioun..to be sinisterlie reportit of. 1606 J. Carpenter Solomon's Solace vii. 26 He hath not opened..both [his ears] vnto him which hath sinistrelie..slaundered me. 1608 D. T. Ess. Pol. & Mor. 128 b, Hee ouerthrewe Marcellus, by accusing him to haue spoken somewhat sinisterly of Caesar. |
† 3. In an unfavourable sense; with a bias towards the worst view. Obs.
Very common down to c 1650, esp. with conceive, interpret, and judge.
| 1529 More Supplic. Souls Wks. 297 Such as would be glad sinisterly to misseconster euery thyng towarde the clergy. 1538 Wriothesly in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. II. 110, I write this unto You bicause you may peraventur here sumwhat hereof, and the thing percase sinisterly interpreted. 1581 G. Pettie tr. Guazzo's Civ. Conv. (1586) i. 13 b, The mallice of men is so greate, that they..thinke sinisterlie and preposterouslie of all the good deedes which are wrought. 1600 Heywood 1st Pt. Edw. IV, Wks. 1874 I. 77 If now some giddy fancy in your braine Make you conceiue sinisterly of her. 1653 Gauden Hierasp. 274, I would have nothing in Him, that is justly to be blamed, or sinisterly suspected. |
† 4. a. With evil intent or purpose; maliciously, malevolently. Obs.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. Ep. Ded. 2 Quhen thai & mordocheus var sinisterly accusit, and alse persecutit, be amman. 1586 A. Day Eng. Secretary i. (1625) 88 A matter sinisterly suggested unto you against mee without any maintainable reason. 1642 Consid. Duties Prince & People 20 As there are those that are sinisterly officious to the one, so are there toward the other. a 1691 A. Wood Hist. & Antiq. Univ. Oxf. (1796) II. 444 The scholars' arms..were not borrowed of them, as some had sinisterly suggested. |
† b. Unfavourably; adversely. Obs.
| a 1600 Hooker Answ. Travers' Supplic. §6 That I am..one which refuse to be at peace with such as embrace the truth, and side my selfe with men sinisterly affected there⁓unto. 1618 Barnevelt's Apol. B 3, The Gouernours of the free cities were sinisterly affected towards the State. |
† 5. In a wrongful or wicked manner. Obs.
| 1532 More Confut. Tindale Wks. 615/2 Nowe is not the tytle of hys Chapter so sinistrelye written and wryed awaye from the poynte. 1581 Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 394 Sinisterlie purchest upoun wrang narratioun maid to oure Soverane Lord. 1617 Collins Def. Bp. Ely ii. ix. 381 Dissembling our sinnefulnesse, and reioycing sinisterly in our supposed perfection. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. v. ii, You told me you had got a growen estate, By griping meanes, sinisterly. |
† 6. Clumsily; awkwardly. Obs. rare.
| 1628 Earle Microcosm. (Arb.) 41 Hee [the scholar] ascends a horse somwhat sinisterly, though not on the left side. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 258 The fooles heart and hand goes sinisterly to work. 1650 B. Discollim. 14 Some of our new Architectors have read some Authors..with their left eyes, which makes them work with their left hands, so sinisterly. |