The word sinister

[insettu2000]

Hi,

New to the forum

What does it mean when your boss says "are you turning sinister on me?" during a conversation. Not in a serious tone.

Thanks!

 

[MikeNewYork]

Did you look up "sinister" in a dictionary?

 

[insettu2000]

Yes I did, but I still can't understand the exact meaning when said in that way.

 

[MikeNewYork]

So what did you learn about "sinister"?

 

[insettu2000]

it depends how its being used. but mostly it means of evil intention (i guess).
But I cannot understand if he meant:
I am turning evil with him.
I am turning bad on my job.
I am turning evil with some third party people mentioned in the conversation.

 

[insettu2000]

or also:
Are you making me look bad? turning bad things towards me.
SOrry for my bad grammar. still learning English

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

You're right! In his quote, sinister means evil. He wondered if you were becoming an evil person.

You're also right that your boss was joking.

 

[MikeNewYork]

OK, good. So the boss's comment meant (jokingly) that you were becoming evil, argumentative, uncooperative, etc.

 

[lotus888]

Perhaps the boss meant "cynical?"



--lotus

 

[Tdol]

Saying sinister for cynical doesn't strike me as a very likely slip of the tongue if the boss is a native speaker.

 

[bhaisahab]

Is your boss a native speaker?