English
right
Pronunciation
  • (RP) enPR: rīt, IPA: /ˈɹaɪt/
  • (GA) enPR: rīt, IPA: /ˈɹaɪt/, [ˈɹaɪʔ(t̚)]
    (dialectal, includes Western Canada, Northern England, Midlands) IPA: /ˈɹeɪt/, [ˈɹeɪʔt̚]
Adjective

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.
    I thought you'd made a mistake, but it seems you were right all along.
    It's not right that one person gets all the credit for the group's work.
    • 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, Barnaby Rudge Chapter 13
      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.
    • January 4 2018, Catherine Ford in the Calgary Herald, 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. 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," Collected plays, Volume 1, Currency Press, p310
      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, p25
      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, p75
      '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 Adsison, 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. This arrow points to the reader's right: →
    After the accident, her right leg was slightly shorter than her left.
  11. Designed to be placed or worn outward.
    the right side of a piece of cloth
  12. (politics) Pertaining to the political right; conservative.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations
  • Russian: здоро́вый
  • Spanish: sano
Translations Translations
  • French: de droite
  • Portuguese: de direita, direitista
  • Russian: пра́вый
  • Spanish: de la derecha, de derecha, de derechas (Spain)
Adverb

right (not comparable)

  1. On the right#Adjective|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.
  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.
  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.
Synonyms Related terms Translations
  • French: à droite
  • German: rechts
  • Italian: a destra
  • Portuguese: à direita
  • Russian: спра́ва
  • Spanish: a la derecha, a la diestra
Translations Translations Translations
  • French: juste
  • Russian: прямо
Translations
  • German: ganz
  • Portuguese: bem
  • Russian: весьма
Translations
  • Russian: верно
Translations Translations Interjection
  1. Yes, that is correct; I agree.
    • 2016, [https://web.archive.org/web/20181113034859/https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/lets-learn-english-lesson-2-hello/3113733.html VOA Learning English] (public domain)
      Tell her you’re here. — Right, thanks, Pete.
  2. I agree with whatever you say; I have no opinion.
  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 agreement at the end of an utterance.
    You're going, right?
  5. Used to add seriousness or decisiveness before a statement.
    • 1987, Withnail and I:
      Withnail: Right ... I'm gonna do the washing up.
Translations
  • French: d'accord
  • German: ja, das ist richtig
  • Portuguese: certo
  • Russian: пра́вильно
  • Spanish: vale (Spain)
Translations
  • Portuguese: certo
  • Russian: поня́тно
Translations
  • German: also
  • Portuguese: certo
  • Russian: секу́ндочку
Translations
  • French: non, n'est-ce pas, hein
  • German: nicht wahr?, oder?, ne?
  • Portuguese: né, certo
  • Russian: ве́рно
  • Spanish: verdad, ¿verdad?, ¿vale? (Spain), ¿no?, ¿cierto?
Translations 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.
    • 1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Table Talk
      There are no rights whatever, without corresponding duties.
    see also in right of
  3. The right side or direction.
    The pharmacy is just on the right past the bookshop.
  4. The right hand or fist.
  5. (politics) The ensemble of right-wing political parties; political conservatives as a group.
    The political right holds too much power.
  6. The outward or most finished surface, as of a coin, piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations
  • Italian: ragione
  • Russian: пра́во
Translations Translations Translations Translations Verb

right (rights, present participle righting; past and past participle righted)

  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
    • c. 1592, William Shakespeare, Richard III
      So just is God, to right the innocent.
    • 1776, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, Declaration of Independence
      All experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
Translations Translations Translations
  • French: se redresser
  • Portuguese: endireitar-se
  • Russian: выровниться


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