right

• ryght (obsolete)
• reight (Yorkshire, eye dialect)
• rite (informal)

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) enPR: rīt, IPA^(key): /ˈɹaɪt/, [ˈɹaɪt]

  • Audio (UK)

    (file)

  • Audio (US)

    (file)

• Homophones: rite, wright, Wright, write, rate (dialectal; certain senses only)
• Rhymes: -aɪt

From Middle English right, from Old English riht (“right,” also the word for “straight” and “direct”), from Proto-Germanic *rehtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵtós (“having moved in a straight line”), from *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten, direct”). 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 West Frisian rjocht, Dutch recht, German recht and Recht, Swedish rätt and rät, Danish ret, Norwegian Bokmål rett, Norwegian Nynorsk rett, and Icelandic rétt. The Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek ὀρεκτός (orektós) and Latin rēctus; Albanian drejt was borrowed from Latin.

right (comparative righter or more right, superlative rightest or rightmost)

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 with the back wall.

3. (geometry) Of a geometric figure, incorporating a right angle between edges, faces, axes, etc.

   a right triangle   a right prism   a right cone

4. Complying with justice, correctness, or reason; correct, just, true.

   That's not the right thing to do.

   So I was right all along? C'mon. I want to hear you say it.

   • 1610, John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, Book II:

     If there be no prospect beyond the grave, the inference is certainly right, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."

   • 1808, Bishop Joseph Hall, Devotional works:

     there are some dispositions blame-worthy in men, which are yet, in a right sense, holily ascribed unto God; as unchangeableness, and irrepentance.

   • 1841, Charles Dickens, chapter 13, in Barnaby Rudge:

     What do you send me into London for, giving me only the right to call for my dinner at the Black Lion, which you’re to pay for next time you go, as if I was not to be trusted with a few shillings? Why do you use me like this? It’s not right of you. You can’t expect me to be quiet under it.

   • 2007 March 6, Julie Rutterford, Life on Mars, Season 2, Episode 3:

     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.

   • 2018 January 4, Catherine Ford, “Religious-Based Health Care Raises Ethical Questions”, in Calgary Herald:

     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?

   • 2024 January 10, Christian Wolmar, “A time for change? ... just as it was back in issue 262”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 61:

     Of course, I was not always right. I questioned the value of Crossrail (a scheme revived by Prescott after being scrapped by the Conservatives), suggesting wrongly that it may be "doomed to hit the buffers" […] . A dozen years later, I published my book on it, extolling the line's wonders. We are all allowed to change our minds.

5. Appropriate, perfectly suitable; fit for purpose.

   Is this the right software for my computer?

6. Healthy, sane, competent.

   I'm afraid my father is no longer in his right mind.

7. Real; veritable (used emphatically).

   You've made a right mess of the kitchen!

   • 2016, Sarah Harvey, A Laugh-out-loud Modern Love Story:

     He's got a wicked sense of fun, he can be a right laugh, he's ever so broadminded – ooh, and he's got a lovely broad chest too.

   • 1670, John Milton, The History of Britain:

     […] in this battle and whole business the Britons never more plainly manifested themselves to be right barbarians: no rule, no foresight, no forecast, experience, or estimation

8. (Australia) All right; not requiring assistance.
   • 1986, David Williamson, “What If You Died Tomorrow”, in Collected plays, volume 1, Currency Press, page 310:

     Kirsty: 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, page 25:

     When 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, page 75:

     'You lost?'
     Colin spun round. Looking at him was a nurse, her eyebrows raised. / 'No, I'm right, thanks,' said Colin.'

9. (dated) Most favourable or convenient; fortunate.
   • c. 1707, “Joseph Addison”, in The Tatler:

     The lady has been disappointed on the right side.

10. 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.

11. (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.
12. Designed to be placed or worn outward.

    the right side of a piece of cloth

13. (politics) Pertaining to the political right; conservative.

• (correctness): correct, just
• (side, direction): dexter, dextral, right-hand
• (politics): conservative, right-wing
• (as a tag question): see Appendix:English tag questions

• (antonym(s) of “straightness”): bowed, crooked, curved
• (antonym(s) of “correctness”): wrong
• (antonym(s) of “side, direction”): left

• → Spanish: right
• → Welsh: reit

From Middle English right, righte, from Old English rihte, rehte (“right; rightly; due; directly; straight”), from Proto-Germanic *rehta, from *rehtaz (“right; straight”).

right (not comparable)

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[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     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, page 214:

     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 town

   • 2004, Jon Sharpe, Nebraska nightmare:

     Well, that would be right neighborly of you, miss.

   • 2008, Luke Cypher, Red Mesa, page 101:

     But it would be right neighborly and Christian of you to put your own wants aside for a spell.

   • 2011, Ann Hite, Ghost on Black Mountain:

     The fog was right hard to see through so I was on Tom Pritchard before I saw him.

   • 2015, Jeff Torrington, Swing Hammer Swing!, page 255:

     Kids nowadays were a right thrillproof bunch. The Armoury Section had, unexpectedly, proved to be a real moodclunker.

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.

   • 1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], Act IV:

     Sith mercie in a Prince reſembleth right,
     The gladſome ſunne-ſhine in a winters day, […]

   • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter XIII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:

     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.

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.

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:right.

• (on the right side): rightward, rightwise
• (towards the right side): rightward, rightways
• (exactly, precisely): exactly, just, precisely, smack-dab; see also Thesaurus:exactly
• (immediately, directly): right smack, slap-bang
• (very, extremely): ever so; see also Thesaurus:very
• (according to fact or truth): in point of fact, in truth; see also Thesaurus:actually
• (correct manner): correctly, properly

right

1. Yes, that is correct; I agree.
   • 2007 March 6, Julie Rutterford, Life on Mars, Season 2, Episode 3:

     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.

     Audio (US)

     (file)

   — United's the best team in the country.
   — Right. And they'll go all the way for sure.
   — Damn right they will.

2. 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, Life on Mars, Season 2, Episode 3:

     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.

   — 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?

3. Signpost word to change the subject in a discussion or discourse.

   — After that interview, I don't think we should hire her.
   — Right. Who wants lunch?

4. 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?

5. Used to add seriousness or decisiveness before a statement.
   • 1987, Withnail and I:

     Withnail: Right […] I'm gonna do the washing up.

The polysemic ambiguity, regarding the senses of (1) affirming agreement and (2) acknowledging an utterance independently of agreement, sometimes functions politely as a social lubricant, avoiding any sarcastic 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.

• (I agree): all right, alright, right on, damn right, damn straight
• (I acknowledge, regardless of agreement): all right, alright, OK, okay, hmm, mmm
• (signpost marking change of subject): all right, alright, well
• (confirming attention, understanding, and/or agreement): all right, alright, y'know, do you know what I'm saying, you know what I'm saying, eh

• yeah right

From Middle English right, righte, reght, reghte, riȝt, riȝte, from Old English riht, reht, ġeriht (“that which is right, just, or proper; a right; due; law; canon; rule; direction; justice; equity; standard”), from Proto-West Germanic *reht, from Proto-Germanic *rehtą (“a right”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵtom, from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵt- (“to straighten; direct”). Cognate with Dutch recht (“a right; privilege”), German Recht (“a right”), Danish ret (“a right”).

right (plural rights)

1. That which complies with justice, law or reason.

   We're on the side of right in this contest.

   • 1973 July 22 [1973 July 17], Kai-shek Chiang, “President Chiang Kai-shek's message to the mass rally supporting Captive Nations Week”, in Free China Weekly‎, volume XIV, number 28, Taipei, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 1:

     Throughout our history, whenever evil forces prevailed, the altruistic and upright people have always shown their great wisdom by adhering to the right against the wrong, renouncing wrongful gain for justice, displaying their great benevolence in national salvation and summoning their great courage to surmount the crisis and turn back the perverse tide.

2. A legal, just or moral entitlement.

   You have no right to go through my personal diary.

   • 1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk:

     There are no rights whatever, without corresponding duties.

   • 1850, T. S. Arthur, “Seed Time and Harvest”, in Sketches of Life and Character‎, Philadelphia: J. W. Bradley, →OCLC, page 130:

     "I do not know that you have any right to inquire into reasons for my conduct. I am at least sure that I never gave you any such right," replied Wiley.
     "I claim no right but the common right of humanity," said the old gentleman. "If you do not acknowledge that, my interference in this matter can only be viewed as impertinent."

   • 1922, Michael Arlen, “3/19/2”, in “Piracy”: A Romantic Chronicle of These Days:

     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 August 10, Schumpeter, “Cronies and capitols”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:

     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, published 1993, page 129:

     "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.

   • 2023 May 31, Nigel Harris, “Comment: GBR now! We have no Plan B”, in RAIL, number 984, page 3:

     Sunak seems so scared of his party's swivel-eyed right wing that he has been panicked into focusing all new legislation on perceived 'red meat' issues which he hopes the Tory right will support.

7. The outward or most finished surface, as of a coin, piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.

   Synonym: (of fabric) right side

   • 1890, The Woman's World, page 434:

     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, page 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, page 392:

     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).

   Antonym: left

• (right side): starboard, 3 o'clock

• (antonym(s) of “legal or moral entitlement”): duty, obligation