The Only Use of
sinister
in
1984, by Orwell
- At those moments his secret loathing of Big Brother changed into adoration, and Big Brother seemed to tower up, an invincible, fearless protector, standing like a rock against the hordes of Asia, and Goldstein, in spite of his isolation, his helplessness, and the doubt that hung about his very existence, seemed like some sinister enchanter, capable by the mere power of his voice of wrecking the structure of civilization.
p. 15.2sinister = evil, harmful, or frightening
Definitions:
-
(1)
(sinister) evil or harmful; or making an evil or frightening impression
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely and only in very old usage, sinister can refer to the left side of something.