• Right

    Pronunciation

    Origin 1

    Alternative forms

    From , from (“right,” also the word for “straight” and “direct”), from , from , from *h₃reǵ-. An Indo-European past participle, it became a Germanic adjective which has been used also as a noun since the common Germanic period. Cognate with , , and Recht, and rät, , , , and . The Indo-European root is also the source of and ; was borrowed from Latin.

    Full definition of right

    Adjective

    right

    1. (archaic) Straight, not bent.
      a right line...
    2. (geometry) Of an angle, having a size of 90 degrees, or one quarter of a complete rotation; the angle between two perpendicular lines.
      The kitchen counter formed a right angle
    3. (geometry) Of a geometric figure, incorporating a right angle between edges, faces, axes, etc.
      a right triangle
    4. Complying with justice, correctness, or reason; correct, just, true.
      • 1610, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding/Book IIIf there be no prospect beyond the grave, the inference is certainly right, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."
      • 2007 March 6, Julie Rutterford, , :Sam Tyler: Look, look, you know when I said I wasn't wrong? Well, I was. But I was right about this not being the IRA. I was right to follow my instincts. Like you said, go with your gut feeling. I'm just taking your lead.
        Gene Hunt: So I'm right.
        Sam Tyler: We both are.
        Gene Hunt: Right.
        Sam Tyler: Right.
        Gene Hunt: Just as long as I'm more right than you.
      • January 4 2018, Catherine Ford, Religious-Based Health Care Raises Ethical Questions, But when that patient requests access to medical care that violates some religious tenet, is it right that he or she either be denied outright or forced to seek an alternative facility?
    5. That's not the right thing to do.
      So I was right all along? c'mon
    6. (appropriate) Appropriate, perfectly suitable; fit for purpose.Is this the right software for my computer?
    7. Healthy, sane, competent.I'm afraid my father is no longer in his right mind.
    8. Real; veritable (used emphatically).You've made a right mess of the kitchen!
    9. (Australia) All right; not requiring assistance.
      • 1986 David Williamson, "What If You Died Tomorrow," Collected plays, Volume 1, Currency Press, p310Kirsty: I suppose you're hungry. Would you like something to eat?
        Ken: No. I'm right, thanks.
      • 2001 Catherine Menagé, Access to English, National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research, NSW: Sydney, p25When the sales assistant sees the customer, she asks Are you right, sir? This means Are you all right? She wants to know if he needs any help.
      • 2001 Morris Gleitzman, Two weeks with the Queen, Pan Macmillan Australia, p75'You lost?'
        Colin spun round. Looking at him was a nurse, her eyebrows raised.
        'No, I'm right, thanks,' said Colin.'
    10. (dated) Most favourable or convenient; fortunate.
      • c. 1707 Joseph Addison, The TatlerThe lady has been disappointed on the right side.
    11. Designating the side of the body which is positioned to the east if one is facing north, the side on which the heart is not located in most humans. This arrow points to the reader's right: →After the accident, her right leg was slightly shorter than her left.
    12. (geography) Designating the bank of a river (etc.) on one's right when facing downstream (i.e. facing forward while floating with the current); that is, the south bank of a river that flows eastward. If this arrow: ⥴ shows the direction of the current, the tilde is on the right side of the river.
    13. Designed to be placed or worn outward.the right side of a piece of cloth
    14. (politics) Pertaining to the political right; conservative.

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

    Derived terms

    Related terms

    Related terms

    Descendants

    Origin 2

    From , righte, from , rehte, from , from *rehtaz.

    Adverb

    right

    1. On the right side.
    2. Towards the right side.
    3. Exactly, precisely.
      The arrow landed right in the middle of the target.
      Luckily we arrived right at the start of the film.
      • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 1, Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand. We spent consider'ble money getting 'em reset, and then a swordfish got into the pound and tore the nets all to slathers, right in the middle of the squiteague season.
    4. Immediately, directly.
      Can't you see it? It's right beside you!
      Tom was standing right in front of the TV, blocking everyone's view.
    5. (British, US, dialect) Very, extremely, quite.
      I made a right stupid mistake there, didn't I?
      I stubbed my toe a week ago and it still hurts right much.
      • 1549, John Calvin, Of the life or conuersation of a Christen man, a right godly treatise, a right godly treatise
      • 1966, Jacqueline Susann, Valley of the Dolls, That's long enough for any small town." Lyon leaned forward. "Do you like Lawrenceville, Mr. Hill?" The driver cocked his head. "Aeah. Why not? Born here. It's a right nice townAeah => Maine or, at least, New England. Context is Massachusetts))
      • 2004, Jon Sharpe, Nebraska nightmare, Well, that would be right neighborly of you, miss.
      • 2008, Luke Cypher, Red Mesa, But it would be right neighborly and Christian of you to put your own wants aside for a spell.
    6. According to fact or truth; actually; truly; really.
    7. In a correct manner.
      Do it right or don't do it at all.
    8. (dated, still used in some titles) To a great extent or degree.
      Sir, I am right glad to meet you …
      Members of the Queen's Privy Council are styled The Right Honourable for life.
      The Right Reverend Monsignor Guido Sarducci.
      • Jack Straw|IV|79|Sith mercie in a Prince reÅ¿embleth right,
        The gladſome ſunne-ſhine in a winters day, ...
      • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 13, He b'iled right over, and the tongue-lashing he give that boss Right Liver beat anything I ever listened to. There was heap of Scriptur' language in it, and more brimstone than you'd find in a match factory.

    Usage notes

    In the US, the word "right" is used as an adverb meaning "very, quite" in most of the major dialect areas, including the Southern US, Appalachia, New England, and the Midwest, though the usage is not part of standard US English. In the UK also it is not part of the standard language but is regarded as stereotypical of the dialects of northern England, though it occurs in other dialects also.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Related terms

    Interjection

    1. (affirming agreement) Yes, that is correct; I agree.
      • 2007 March 6, Julie Rutterford, , :Sam Tyler: Look, look, you know when I said I wasn't wrong? Well, I was. But I was right about this not being the IRA. I was right to follow my instincts. Like you said, go with your gut feeling. I'm just taking your lead.
        Gene Hunt: So I'm right.
        Sam Tyler: We both are.
        Gene Hunt: Right.
        Sam Tyler: Right.
        Gene Hunt: Just as long as I'm more right than you.
      • 2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)Tell her you’re here.
        Right. Thanks, Pete.
    2. — United's the best team in the country.
      — Right. And they'll go all the way for sure.
      — Damn right they will.
    3. (acknowledging the other's utterance, independently of agreement) I have listened to what you just said and I acknowledge your assertion or opinion, regardless of whether I agree with it (opinion) or can verify it (assertion).
      • 2007 March 6, Julie Rutterford, , :Sam Tyler: Look, look, you know when I said I wasn't wrong? Well, I was. But I was right about this not being the IRA. I was right to follow my instincts. Like you said, go with your gut feeling. I'm just taking your lead.
        Gene Hunt: So I'm right.
        Sam Tyler: We both are.
        Gene Hunt: Right.
        Sam Tyler: Right.
        Gene Hunt: Just as long as I'm more right than you.
    4. — United's the best team in the country, so they'll come up with something.
      — Right. And do you think they'll go all the way?
    5. (signpost marking change of subject) signpost.
      — After that interview, I don't think we should hire her.
      — Right. Who wants lunch?
    6. (checking engagement and agreement) Used to check listener engagement and (especially) agreement at the end of an utterance or each segment thereof.You're going, right?
      I went downstairs, right, and I was going to call her, but I found this note, right, so what am I supposed to do now?
    7. Used to add seriousness or decisiveness before a statement.

    Usage notes

    The polysemy ambiguity, regarding the senses of (1) affirming agreement and (2) acknowledging an utterance independently of agreement, sometimes functions polite as a social lubricant, avoiding any sarcasm connotation that OK might easily imply; the degree of clarity is sufficient in contexts where getting to the bottom of who agrees or disagrees is superfluous to the purpose of the conversation.

    Synonyms

    Derived terms

    Origin 3

    From , righte, reght, reghte, riȝt, riȝte, from , reht, ġeriht, from , from , from , from . Cognate with , , .

    Noun

    right

    (plural rights)
    1. That which complies with justice, law or reason.
      We're on the side of right in this contest.
    2. A legal, just or moral entitlement.
      You have no right to go through my personal diary.
      • 1922, Michael Arlen, “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days Chapter 3/19/2, Ivor had acquired more than a mile of fishing rights with the house ; he was not at all a good fisherman, but one must do something ; one generally, however, banged a ball with a squash-racket against a wall.
      • 2013-08-10, Schumpeter, Cronies and capitols, Policing the relationship between government and business in a free society is difficult. Businesspeople have every right to lobby governments, and civil servants to take jobs in the private sector.
    3. The right side or direction.
      The pharmacy is just on the right past the bookshop.
    4. The right hand or fist.
      • 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, "Before he could strike again, however, I got in my right, and he was sprawling on his back on the floor."
    5. The authority to perform, publish, film, or televise a particular work, event, etc.; a copyright.
    6. (politics) The ensemble of right-wing political parties; political conservatives as a group.
      The political right holds too much power.
    7. The outward or most finished surface, as of a coin, piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.
      • 1890, , The Woman's World , Simple cross-stitch, with a space between each stitch, may be worked in two rows, in which case the completed stitch on the wrong sides alternates with that on the right.
      • 1913, , Woman's Home Companion - Volume 40 , For the large size, two pieces of silk, eighteen inches wide and twenty-seven inches long, are sewed together at three sides, rights together, leaving one end open.
      • 1918 , , Pacific Rural Press - Volume 95 , In case there is a right and wrong side to the tops, put two rights together.
    8. (surfing) A wave breaking from right to left (viewed from the shore).

    Synonyms

    Antonyms

    Derived terms

    Origin 4

    From , reghten, riȝten, from , ġerihtan, from , from .

    Verb

    1. (transitive) To correct.
      Righting all the wrongs of the war immediately will be impossible.
    2. (transitive) To set upright.
      The tow-truck righted what was left of the automobile.
    3. (intransitive) To return to normal upright position.
      When the wind died down, the ship righted.
    4. (transitive) To do justice to; to relieve from wrong; to restore rights to; to assert or regain the rights of.
      to right the oppressed
      • Shakespeare Richard 3|text=So just is God, to right the innocent.

    Derived terms

    Further reading

    • OneLook
    • Century 1911

    Anagrams

    © Wiktionary
    • © 2013 - 2023 All Rights Reserved