Historical Symbols And Meanings

noun a term used in heraldry to describe a charge on a coat of arms that is positioned obliquely and signifies illegitimacy or dishonor

• The family crest displayed a bar sinister, indicating a stain on their lineage.
• I heard that old man's family has a bar sinister in their history.
• That family has a shady past with a bar sinister on their coat of arms.
• The scandal left a figurative bar sinister on their reputation.

noun a material made from the shell of a tortoise, typically used in decorative items

• The artisan crafted a beautiful hair clip using tortoise shell as the main material.
• I found a vintage tortoise shell comb at the flea market.
• Check out my new tortoise shell sunglasses, they're so stylish!
• Her calm demeanor was like a tortoise shell, protecting her from the chaos around her.