I.dat. plur. fem.: dextrabus manibus, Liv. Andron. ap. Non. 493, 20.—Comp. dextĕrĭor; sup. dextĭmus), adj. dex-ter, root dek-, Gr. δέκομαι, whence δάκτυλος, digitus; cf. Germ. Finger, from fangen; cf. also Sanscr. dakshinas, on the right hand, and Gr. δεξ-ιός, 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,
