dexter

dexter, tĕra, tĕrum, and more freq. tra, trum ( dat. plur. fem.: dextrabus manibus, Liv. Andron. ap. Non. 493, 20.— Comp. dextĕrĭor; sup. dextĭmus), adj. [dex-ter, root dek-, Gr. dekomai, whence daktulos, digitus; cf. Germ. Finger, from fangen; cf. also Sanscr. dakshinas, on the right hand, and Gr. dex-ios], to the right, on the right side, right (opp. laevus, sinister).

I.

Prop.:

ut ante oculos fuerit qui dexter hic idem nunc sit laevus,

Lucr. 4, 302:

manus,

Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 49; 50; id. Capt. 2, 3, 82; Cic. Div. 1, 23, 46:

pars membrorum (opp. laeva),

Lucr. 4, 293:

umeri,

Caes. B. G. 7, 50, 2:

latus,

Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 6; Ov. M. 13, 730 et saep.:

cornu,

Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 5; Caes. B. G. 1, 52, 2; 2, 23, 4 et saep.:

ala,

Liv. 31, 21:

acies,

id. 27, 48 et saep.: dextrarum tibiarum genus est, quae dextra tenentur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 74, 5 Müll. et saep.:

dextra ejus (fluminis) accolunt Deximontani,

Plin. 6, 23, 26, § 99.— Comp. in signification = dexter, but spoken of two only:

in dexteriore parte, opp. sinisteriore,

Varr. L. L. 9, § 34 Müll.; so,

pars, opp. laeva,

Ov. M. 7, 241:

rota, opp. sinisterior,

id. ib. 2, 138:

armus,

id. ib. 12, 303:

umerus,

Suet. Claud. 7:

latus,

id. Galb. 21: cornu, Galba ap. Cic. Fam. 10, 30, 3 et saep.— Sup.: dextimus, a, um, an ancient and rare form, in signif. i. q. dexter: dextima via, Varr. ap. Non. 94, 30:

apud dextimos,

Sall. J. 100, 2.—

II.

Trop. (perh. not in ante-Aug. prose).

1.

Handy, dexterous, skilful; opportune, proper, suitable, fitting:

rem ita dexter egit, ut, etc.,

Liv. 8, 36:

et Marius scriptis dexter in omne genus,

Ov. Pont. 4, 16, 24:

quis rebus dexter modus,

Verg. A. 4, 294:

tempus,

Hor. S. 2, 1, 18.—

2.

(Since the Greeks regarded an omen on the right as favorable) favorable, propitious, fortunate: dextra auspicia prospera, Paul. ex Fest. p. 74, 4 Müll.; cf.

omen,

Val. Fl. 1, 245:

dexter adi,

Verg. A. 8, 302; cf.:

dexter ac volens assit (numen),

Quint. 4 prooem. 5:

Jove,

Pers. 5, 114:

sidere,

Stat. S. 3, 4, 63 et saep.—Hence,