Etymologies

Harbour

Harbour (BE)/Harbor (AmE)

• ME word has been assumed to be taken from Norse, but the phonology points rather to an OE type (might be taken from Norse).

• The history shows two lines of phonetic change:
  • her -> her
  • the weakening of the second element to –ber, -bor, -bour
  • The current form “harbour” exhibits both of these changes.

• Various spellings – it appears in modern-day form (both BE and AmE) in 17th century
• Meanings:

• • a. Shelter, lodging, entertainment: sojourn, abode – as early as mid-12th century (spelled as herbyrȝe)
  • b. The “house,” mansion, zodiac (Chaucer)
  • c. Retreat of wild animals
  • d. Used figuratively
  • e. Port (late 13th century)
  • f. Airship shed/hangar (1909, 1912)
  • g. A vessel used for mixing ingredients for glass making (19th century)
  • h. A number of compounds

Sinister

forms:

ME: synystre, synistre, sinistre; syne-, sinester; syny-, syni-, sinister; senestre, sene-, seni-, senyster

ModE: sinister

stress: siˈnister (17th, 18th ct.), ˈsinister

- from Old French senestre, sinistre or Latin sinister (meaning 'left' or 'left-hand' - the opposite of dexter; the original meaning is present in ModE but mainly archaic/used in Heraldry)

meanings:

• original meaning: on the left side of the body; lying towards the left hand; situated on the left hand of a shield (Heraldry)

• given with intent to deceive or mislead, esp. so as to create a prejudice against some person; false and dishonest - about information, suggestions, advice, etc. (obsolete - 15th, 16th century)

• prejudicial, adverse, unfavourable, suspicious - about opinions (15th-17th ct.) - e.g. Some evil Suspicion or sinister Thoughts concerning me.

• dishonest, unfair; not straightforward, underhand; dark - about actions, practices (common in 1470-1650)

• corrupt, evil, bad - e.g. He speaks of bad manners and vitious humors and sinister affections,..as envy, contention, contumacy, incontinency.

• portending or indicating misfortune or disaster; full of dark or gloomy suggestiveness; inauspicious, unfavourable - about omens (originally denoting omens seen on the left hand, which was regarded as the unlucky side)

• unlucky, unfortunate (common in 1580-1670)

• unfavourable, harmful, prejudicial to a person

DEXTEROUS, adj.

Forms: dextrous, adj.; dexterious adj.,

Pronunciation: /ˈdɛkstərəs/ /ˈdɛkstrəs/

Etymology: < Latin dexter, dextr- right, handy, dexterous, dextra the right hand + -OUS suffix. If an analogous word had been formed in Latin, it would have been dextrōsus; hence dextrous (compare sinistrous) is the more regular form; but dexterous appears to prevail in 19th cent. prose.

meanings:

• Situated on the right side or right-hand; right, as opposed to left; = DEXTER adj. 1, DEXTRAL adj., --> Example: 1646 SIR T. BROWNE Pseudodoxia Epidemica IV. v. 190 “The dextrous and sinistrous parts of the body.”
• Deft or nimble of hand, neat-handed
• Having mental adroitness or skill; skilful or expert in contrivance or management
• In a bad sense: ‘Clever’, crafty, cunning.
• Handy, convenient, suitable, fitting. Obs.

http://www.oed.com.ezproxy.is.cuni.cz/view/Entry/51667?redirectedFrom=dexterous#eid