Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon

A.left, on the left hand, poet. for ἀριστερός (used by Prose writers in metaph. sense, and once by Pl. in literal sense, Phdr.266a; also in Dor. Prose, ἐν σκαιάν,= ἐς ἀριστεράν, SIG636.22 (Delph., ii B.C.; σκαγαν lapis)); “τὸ ς. ὄμμα παραβαλών” A.Fr.308 (cf. Ath.7.303c); in Hom. always in dat. σκαιῇ (sc. χειρί), with the left hand, Il.1.501, al.; χειρὶ ς. Hes.Th.179:—hence,

II. western, westward (for the Greek diviner always turned his face northward, and so had the West on his left): hence Σκαιαὶ πύλαι the West-gate of Troy, Il.3.145, al., cf. Hsch. (otherwise expld. by Sch. ad loc.); ς. ῥίον either, on the left, or west headland, Od.3.295; ς. λιμήν Orac. ap.D.S.8.21; “πόρος” D.P.161,481,541.

2. unlucky, ill-omened, mischievous (cf. “δεξιός” 11), ἡ φιλοτιμίη κτῆμα ς. Hdt.3.53; σεσιγαμένον οὐ σκαιότερον χρῆμ᾽ ἕκαστον a thing is none the worse for remaining unsaid, Pi.O.9.104; ς. ἐκλύσων στόμα about to speak mischief, S.Aj. 1225.

III. metaph. of persons, lefthanded, awkward, clumsy, stupid, “-ότατος καὶ ἀδικώτατος” Hdt.1.129; “ς. ἰητροί” Hp.Art.42; “σκαιοῖσι πολλοῖς εἷς σοφὸς διόλλυται” S.Fr.921, cf.771; ὅπου δ᾽ Ἀπόλλων ς. ᾖ, τίνες σοφοί; E.El.972, cf. Heracl.258, HF283; “ὦ σκαιὲ κἀπαίδευτε” Ar.V.1183, cf. 1266; “ἐπιλης μότατον καὶ -ότατον γερόντιον” Id.Nu.790; “οὕτω ς. ὥστε μαθεῖν οὐ δύνασθαι” Lys.10.15, cf. Pl.Euthd.295d; “ς. καὶ βάρβαρος τὸν τρόπον” D.26.17; “ς. καὶ ἀναίσθητος” Id.18.120; “ς. ἢ ἀνήκοος” Id.19.312. Adv., “σκαιῶς λέγειν” Ar.Ec.644, cf. Pl.60: Comp., Phld.Acad.Ind.p.7 M.

2. of words, thoughts, or actions, “-ότατον ἔπος” Ar.Av.174, cf. Arist.Rh.Al.1430b7; “ς. καινουργία” OGI569.18 (Arycanda, iv A.D.).—In these senses σκαιός is opp. to δεξιός (q.v.).

IV. aslant, crooked, of serpents, Nic.Th.266; cf. σκοιός. (Prob. σκαιϝός, cf. Lat. scaevus.）