ἀριστερός

A. left, on the left, ἐπ’ ἀριστερά towards, i.e. on, the left, Il. 2.526, al.; ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ χειρός Od. 5.277; ἐπ’ ἀ. χειρῶν A.R. 2.1266; ἐξἀριστερῶν Hp. Epid. 2.4.1; ἐν τοῖσι ἀριστεροῖσι ibid.

2. ἀριστερά (with or without χείρ), ἡ, left hand, ἐξ ἀριστερῆς χειρός on the left hand, Hdt. 2.30; simply ἀριστερῆς χ. Id. 4.34; ἐξ ἀριστερᾶς S. Ph. 20, Pl. Ti. 72c, etc.; οὑξ ἀριστερᾶς . . ναός S. El. 7; ἐς ἀριστερὴν χεῖρα ἤιε, ἐν ἀριστερῇ ἔχειν, Hdt. 7.42.

3. metaph., boding ill, ominous, because to a Greek, looking northward, unlucky signs came from the left, ἀ. ἤλυθεν ὄρνις Od. 20.242.

4. awkward, erring, φρενόθεν ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ ἔβας turnedst to the leftward of thy mind, S. Aj. 182 (lyr.); ἐπ’ ἀριστερὰ εἴληφας τὸ πρᾶγμα in a sinister sense, Com.Adesp. 22.67 D.; τῷ ἀριστερῷ δέχεσθαι [λόγους] Plu. 2.378b. (Prop. 'better', cf. ἄριστος; euphemism (cf. εὐώνυμος) to avoid ill-luck.)