right Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature; it is something that nobody can take away"
    • they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights
    • Certain rights can never be granted to the government but must be kept in the hands of the people"- Eleanor Roosevelt
    • a right is not something that somebody gives you
  2. noun location near or direction toward the right side; i.e. the side to the south when a person or object faces east
    • he stood on the right
  3. noun the piece of ground in the outfield on the catcher's right
    right field; rightfield.
  4. noun those who support political or social or economic conservatism; those who believe that things are better left unchanged
    right wing.
  5. noun the hand that is on the right side of the body
    right hand.
    • he writes with his right hand but pitches with his left
    • hit him with quick rights to the body
  6. noun a turn toward the side of the body that is on the south when the person is facing east
    • take a right at the corner
  7. noun anything in accord with principles of justice
    rightfulness.
    • he feels he is in the right
    • the rightfulness of his claim
  8. noun (frequently plural) the interest possessed by law or custom in some intangible thing
    • mineral rights
    • film rights
  9. verb make reparations or amends for
    compensate; redress; correct.
    • right a wrongs done to the victims of the Holocaust
  10. verb put in or restore to an upright position
    • They righted the sailboat that had capsized
  11. verb regain an upright or proper position
    • The capsized boat righted again
  12. verb make right or correct
    correct; rectify.
    • Correct the mistakes
    • rectify the calculation
  13. adjective being or located on or directed toward the side of the body to the east when facing north
    • my right hand
    • right center field
    • a right-hand turn
    • the right bank of a river is the bank on your right side when you are facing downstream
  14. adjective free from error; especially conforming to fact or truth
    correct.
    • the correct answer
    • the correct version
    • the right answer
    • took the right road
    • the right decision
  15. adjective satellite socially right or correct
    correct.
    • it isn't right to leave the party without saying goodbye
    • correct behavior
  16. adjective in conformance with justice or law or morality
    • do the right thing and confess
  17. adjective correct in opinion or judgment
    correct.
    • time proved him right
  18. adjective satellite appropriate for a condition or purpose or occasion or a person's character, needs
    proper.
    • everything in its proper place
    • the right man for the job
    • she is not suitable for the position
  19. adjective of or belonging to the political or intellectual right
  20. adjective satellite in or into a satisfactory condition
    • things are right again now
    • put things right
  21. adjective satellite intended for the right hand
    right-hand.
    • a right-hand glove
  22. adjective satellite in accord with accepted standards of usage or procedure
    correct.
    • what's the right word for this?
    • the right way to open oysters
  23. adjective satellite having the axis perpendicular to the base
    • a right angle
  24. adjective satellite (of the side of cloth or clothing) facing or intended to face outward
    • the right side of the cloth showed the pattern
    • be sure your shirt is right side out
  25. adjective satellite most suitable or right for a particular purpose
    good; ripe.
    • a good time to plant tomatoes
    • the right time to act
    • the time is ripe for great sociological changes
  26. adjective satellite precisely accurate
    veracious.
    • a veracious account
  27. adverb precisely, exactly
    • stand right here!
  28. adverb immediately
    • she called right after dinner
  29. adverb exactly
    flop.
    • he fell flop on his face
  30. adverb toward or on the right; also used figuratively
    • he looked right and left
    • the party has moved right
  31. adverb in the right manner
    decent; in good order; decently; properly; the right way.
    • please do your job properly!
    • can't you carry me decent?
  32. adverb an interjection expressing agreement
    right on.
  33. adverb completely
    • she felt right at home
    • he fell right into the trap
  34. adverb (Southern regional intensive) very; to a great degree
    powerful; mighty; mightily.
    • the baby is mighty cute
    • he's mighty tired
    • it is powerful humid
    • that boy is powerful big now
    • they have a right nice place
    • they rejoiced mightily
  35. adverb in accordance with moral or social standards
    justly.
    • that serves him right
    • do right by him
  36. adverb in an accurate manner
    aright; correctly.
    • the flower had been correctly depicted by his son
    • he guessed right

WordNet


Right adjective
Etymology
OE. right, riht, AS. riht; akin to D. regt, OS. & OHG. reht, G. recht, Dan. ret, Sw. rätt, Icel. rëttr, Goth. raíhts, L. rectus, p. p. of regere to guide, rule; cf. Skr. ju straight, right. Cf. Adroit,Alert, Correct, Dress, Regular, Rector, Recto, Rectum, Regent, Region, Realm, Rich, Riyal, Rule.
Definitions
  1. Straight; direct; not crooked; as, a right line."Right as any line." Chaucer
  2. Upright; erect from a base; having an upright axis; not oblique; as, right ascension; a right pyramid or cone.
  3. Conformed to the constitution of man and the will of God, or to justice and equity; not deviating from the true and just; according with truth and duty; just; true.
    That which is conformable to the Supreme Rule is absolutely right, and is called right simply without relation to a special end. Whately.
  4. Fit; suitable; proper; correct; becoming; as, the right man in the right place; the right way from London to Oxford.
  5. Characterized by reality or genuineness; real; actual; not spurious. "His right wife." Chaucer.
    In this battle, . . . the Britons never more plainly manifested themselves to be right barbarians. Milton.
  6. According with truth; passing a true judgment; conforming to fact or intent; not mistaken or wrong; not erroneous; correct; as, this is the right faith.
    You are right, Justice, and you weigh this well. Shak.
    If there be no prospect beyond the grave, the inference is . . . right, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." Locke.
  7. Most favorable or convenient; fortunate.
    The lady has been disappointed on the right side. Spectator.
  8. Of or pertaining to that side of the body in man on which the muscular action is usually stronger than on the other side; -- opposed to left when used in reference to a part of the body; as, the right side, hand, arm. Also applied to the corresponding side of the lower animals.
    Became the sovereign's favorite, his right hand. Longfellow.
    ✍ In designating the banks of a river, right and left are used always with reference to the position of one who is facing in the direction of the current's flow.
  9. Well placed, disposed, or adjusted; orderly; well regulated; correctly done.
  10. Designed to be placed or worn outward; as, the right side of a piece of cloth. Right is used elliptically for it is right, what you say is right, true.
    "Right," cries his lordship. Pope.
    Syn. -- Straight; direct; perpendicular; upright; lawful; rightful; true; correct; just; equitable; proper; suitable; becoming.
Right adverb
Definitions
  1. In a right manner.
  2. In a right or straight line; directly; hence; straightway; immediately; next; as, he stood right before me; it went right to the mark; he came right out; he followed right after the guide.
    Unto Dian's temple goeth she right. Chaucer.
    Let thine eyes look right on. Prov. iv. 25.
    Right across its track there lay, Down in the water, a long reef of gold. Tennyson.
  3. Exactly; just. Obs. or Colloq.
    Came he right now to sing a raven's note? Shak.
  4. According to the law or will of God; conforming to the standard of truth and justice; righteously; as, to live right; to judge right.
  5. According to any rule of art; correctly.
    You with strict discipline instructed right. Roscommon.
  6. According to fact or truth; actually; truly; really; correctly; exactly; as, to tell a story right. "Right at mine own cost." Chaucer.
    Right as it were a steed of Lumbardye. Chaucer.
    His wounds so smarted that he slept right naught. Fairfax.
  7. In a great degree; very; wholly; unqualifiedly; extremely; highly; as, right humble; right noble; right valiant. "He was not right fat". Chaucer.
    For which I should be right sorry. Tyndale.
    [I] return those duties back as are right fit. Shak.
    ✍ In this sense now chiefly prefixed to titles; as, right honorable; right reverend. Right is used in composition with other adverbs, as upright, downright, forthright, etc.
Right noun
Etymology
AS. right. See Right, a.
Definitions
  1. That which is right or correct. Specifically: (a) The straight course; adherence to duty; obedience to lawful authority, divine or human; freedom from guilt, -- the opposite of moral wrong. (b) A true statement; freedom from error of falsehood; adherence to truth or fact.
    Seldom your opinions err; Your eyes are always in the right. Prior.
    (c) A just judgment or action; that which is true or proper; justice; uprightness; integrity.
    Long love to her has borne the faithful knight, And well deserved, had fortune done him right. Dryden.
  2. That to which one has a just claim. Specifically: (a) That which one has a natural claim to exact.
    There are no rights whatever, without corresponding duties. Coleridge.
    (b) That which one has a legal or social claim to do or to exact; legal power; authority; as, a sheriff has a right to arrest a criminal. (c) That which justly belongs to one; that which one has a claim to possess or own; the interest or share which anyone has in a piece of property; title; claim; interest; ownership.
    Born free, he sought his right. Dryden.
    Hast thou not right to all created things? Milton.
    Men have no right to what is not reasonable. Burke.
    (d) Privilege or immunity granted by authority.
  3. The right side; the side opposite to the left.
    Led her to the Souldan's right. Spenser.
  4. In some legislative bodies of Europe (as in France), those members collectively who are conservatives or monarchists. See Center, 5.
  5. The outward or most finished surface, as of a piece of cloth, a carpet, etc.
Right transitive verb
Etymology
AS. rihtan. See Right, a.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Righted; present participle & verbal noun Righting
Definitions
  1. To bring or restore to the proper or natural position; to set upright; to make right or straight (that which has been wrong or crooked); to correct.
  2. To do justice to; to relieve from wrong; to restore rights to; to assert or regain the rights of; as, to right the oppressed; to right one's self; also, to vindicate.
    So just is God, to right the innocent. Shak.
    All experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. Jefferson.
Right intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To recover the proper or natural condition or position; to become upright.
  2. (Naut.) Hence, to regain an upright position, as a ship or boat, after careening.

Webster 1913