rightcorrect; proper; just; appropriate: the right wayNot to be confused with:rite ? religious ceremony; ceremonial act: marriage riteAbused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embreeright (r?t)adj. right·er, right·est 1. Conforming with or conformable to justice, law, or morality: do the right thing and confess.2. In accordance with fact, reason, or truth; correct: the right answer.3. Fitting, proper, or appropriate: It is not right to leave the party without saying goodbye.4. Most favorable, desirable, or convenient: the right time to act.5. In or into a satisfactory state or condition: put things right.6. In good mental or physical health or order.7. Intended to be worn or positioned facing outward or toward an observer: the right side of the dress; made sure that the right side of the fabric was visible.8. a. Of, belonging to, located on, or being the side of the body to the south when the subject is facing east.b. Of, relating to, directed toward, or located on the right side.c. Located on the right side of a person facing downstream: the right bank of a river.9. often Right Of or belonging to the political or intellectual right.10. Mathematics a. Formed by or in reference to a line or plane that is perpendicular to another line or plane.b. Having the axis perpendicular to the base: right cone.c. Having a right angle: a right triangle.11. Straight; uncurved; direct: a right line.12. Archaic Not spurious; genuine.n.1. That which is just, moral, or proper.2. a. The direction or position on the right side.b. The right side.c. The right hand.d. A turn in the direction of the right hand or side.3. often Righta. The people and groups who advocate the adoption of conservative or reactionary measures, especially in government and politics. Also called right wing.b. The opinion of those advocating such measures.4. Sports A blow delivered by a boxer’s right hand.5. Baseball Right field.6. a. A just or legal claim or title.b. Something that is due to a person or governmental body by law, tradition, or nature.c. Something, especially humane treatment, claimed to be due to animals by moral principle.7. often rightsa. An existing stockholder’s legally protected claim to purchase additional shares in a corporation ahead of those who are not currently stockholders, especially at a cost lower than market value.b. The negotiable paper on which such an entitlement is indicated.adv.1. Toward or on the right.2. In a straight line; directly: went right to school.3. In the proper or desired manner; well: The jacket doesn’t fit right.4. Exactly; just: The accident happened right over there.5. Immediately: called me right after dinner.6. Completely; quite: The icy wind blew right through me.7. According to law, morality, or justice.8. Accurately; correctly: answered the question right.9. Chiefly Southern US Considerably; very: They have a right nice place.10. Used as an intensive: kept right on going.11. Used in titles: The Right Reverend Jane Smith.v. right·ed, right·ing, rights v.tr.1. To put in or restore to an upright or proper position: They righted their boat.2. To put in order or set right; correct: measures designed to right generations of unfair labor practices.3. To make reparation or amends for; redress: right a wrong.v.intr. To regain an upright or proper position.Idioms: by rights In a just or proper manner; justly. in (one’s) own right Through the force of one’s own skills or qualifications. right and left From all directions or on every side: criticism coming right and left; questions raised from right and left. right away/off Immediately; at once; without delay. right on Slang Used as an exclamation of encouragement, support, or enthusiastic agreement. to rights In a satisfactory or orderly condition: set the place to rights.[Middle English, from Old English riht; see reg- in Indo-European roots. N., sense 3, from the fact that conservatives sit on the right side of the legislative chamber in various assemblies .]right?er n.right?ness n.Synonyms: right, privilege, prerogative, perquisite These nouns apply to something, such as a power or possession, to which one has an established claim. Right refers to a legally, morally, or traditionally just claim: “An unconditional right to say what one pleases about public affairs is what I consider to be the minimum guarantee of the First Amendment” (Hugo L. Black). Privilege usually suggests an advantage or opportunity not enjoyed by everyone: Use of the company jet was a privilege reserved for the top executives. Prerogative denotes an exclusive right or privilege, as one based on custom, law, or office: It is my prerogative to change my mind. A perquisite is a privilege accorded by virtue of one’s employment, position, or rank: “The old newspapers and wax candle-ends from the drawing-room were the perquisites of the butler” (Elizabeth Langland).Our Living Language Speakers of Standard English mainly restrict the use of adverbial right to modify adverbs of space or time, as in She’s right over there or Do it right now! No such restriction applies in Southern vernacular speech, where right can be used to intensify the meaning of many adjectives and adverbs, as in He’s right nice or You talk right fast. This broader use of right is attested as far back as the 1400s and is found in the works of Shakespeare and other great writers. Thus, what appears to be neglect of Standard English rules is actually the retention of a historical usage. · The use of right as an adverb indicating directness, completeness, or general intensity seems to be related to the use of right in a more concrete sense to refer to something that is perfectly straight or perpendicular to something else, as in right angle. A similar connection between concrete and metaphorical meaning lies behind the Southern adverbial usage of plumb, as in He fell plumb asleep as an indicator of completeness or totality.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.right (ra?t) adj1. in accordance with accepted standards of moral or legal behaviour, justice, etc: right conduct. 2. in accordance with fact, reason, or truth; correct or true: the right answer. 3. appropriate, suitable, fitting, or proper: the right man for the job. 4. most favourable or convenient; preferred: the right time to act. 5. in a satisfactory condition; orderly: things are right again now. 6. indicating or designating the correct time: the clock is right. 7. correct in opinion or judgment8. sound in mind or body; healthy or sane9. (usually prenominal) of, designating, or located near the side of something or someone that faces east when the front is turned towards the north. 10. (usually prenominal) worn on a right hand, foot, etc11. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (sometimes capital) of, designating, supporting, belonging to, or relating to the political or intellectual right (see sense 40)12. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (sometimes capital) conservative or reactionary: the right wing of the party. 13. (Mathematics) geometry a. formed by or containing a line or plane perpendicular to another line or planeb. having the axis perpendicular to the base: a right circular cone. c. straight: a right line. 14. relating to or designating the side of cloth worn or facing outwards15. informal (intensifier): a right idiot. 16. in one’s right mind sane17. she’ll be right informal Austral and NZ that’s all right; not to worry18. the right side of a. in favour with: you’d better stay on the right side of him. b. younger than: she’s still on the right side of fifty. adv19. too right informal Austral and NZ an exclamation of agreement20. in accordance with correctness or truth; accurately: to guess right. 21. in the appropriate manner; properly: do it right next time!. 22. in a straight line; directly: right to the top. 23. in the direction of the east from the point of view of a person or thing facing north24. absolutely or completely; utterly: he went right through the floor. 25. all the way: the bus goes right to the city centre. 26. without delay; immediately or promptly: I’ll be right over. 27. exactly or precisely: right here. 28. in a manner consistent with a legal or moral code; justly or righteously: do right by me. 29. in accordance with propriety; fittingly or suitably: it serves you right. 30. to good or favourable advantage; well: it all came out right in the end. 31. (Ecclesiastical Terms) (esp in religious titles) most or very: right reverend. 32. informal or dialect (intensifier): I’m right glad to see you. 33. right, left, and centre on all sides; from every direction34. right off the bat informal as the first in a series; to begin withn35. any claim, title, etc, that is morally just or legally granted as allowable or due to a person: my legal right. 36. anything that accords with the principles of legal or moral justice37. the fact or state of being in accordance with reason, truth, or accepted standards (esp in the phrase in the right)38. Irish an obligation or duty: you had a right to lock the door. 39. the right side, direction, position, area, or part: the right of the army; look to the right. 40. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the right (often capital) the supporters or advocates of social, political, or economic conservatism or reaction, based generally on a belief that things are better left unchanged (opposed to radical or left)41. (Boxing) boxing a. a punch with the right handb. the right hand42. (Banking & Finance) finance a. (often plural) the privilege of a company’s shareholders to subscribe for new issues of the company’s shares on advantageous termsb. the negotiable certificate signifying this privilege43. by right by rights properly; justly: by rights you should be in bed. 44. in one’s own right having a claim or title oneself rather than through marriage or other connection: a peeress in her own right. 45. to rights consistent with justice, correctness, or orderly arrangement: he put the matter to rights. vb (mainly tr) 46. (also intr) to restore to or attain a normal, esp an upright, position: the raft righted in a few seconds. 47. to make (something) accord with truth or facts; correct48. to restore to an orderly state or condition; put right49. to make reparation for; compensate for or redress (esp in the phrase right a wrong)sentence substitutea. indicating that a statement has been understoodb. asking whether a statement has been understoodc. indicating a subdividing point within a discourseinterjan expression of agreement or compliance[Old English riht, reoht; related to Old High German reht, Gothic raihts, Latin r?ctus] ?righter nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014right (ra?t) adj. right?er, right?est, n., adv., v. adj. 1. in accordance with what is good, proper, or just: right conduct. 2. in conformity with fact or reason: the right answer. 3. correct in judgment, opinion, or action. 4. appropriate; suitable: to say the right thing. 5. most desirable: the right time for a decision. 6. of, pertaining to, or located on or near the side of a person or thing that is turned toward the east when the subject is facing north (opposed to left). 7. sound; sane: in one’s right mind. 8. in good health or spirits: I haven’t felt right in days. 9. principal, front, or upper: right side up. 10. (often cap.) of or belonging to the political Right; having conservative or reactionary views in politics. 11. socially desirable or influential: know the right people. 12. straight: a right line. 13. having an axis perpendicular to the base: a right cone. 14. Math. pertaining to an element of a set that has a given property when placed on the right of an element or set of elements of the given set: a right identity. 15. genuine; authentic: the right owner. n. 16. something that is due to anyone by just claim, legal guarantees, moral principles, etc.: the right to free speech. 17. that which is morally, legally, or ethically proper: to know right from wrong. 18. a moral, ethical, or legal principle considered as an underlying cause of truth, justice, morality, or ethics. 19. Sometimes, rights. the interest or ownership a person, group, or business has in property. 20. the property itself or its value. 21. Often, rights. the privilege of subscribing to a specified amount of a stock or bond issue, or the document certifying this privilege. 22. that which is in accord with fact, reason, or propriety. 23. the state or quality or an instance of being correct. 24. the side that is normally opposite to that where the heart is: to turn to the right. 25. a right-hand turn: Make a right at the corner. 26. the one of a pair, as of shoes or gloves, that is shaped for, used by, or situated on the right side. 27. the Right, a. individuals or groups advocating maintenance of the established political, social, or economic order. b. the conservative position held by these people. 28. (usu. cap.) a. the part of a legislative assembly, esp. in continental Europe, that is situated to the right of the presiding officer. b. the more conservative members of such an assembly, who customarily sit in this part. 29. a boxing blow delivered by the right hand. adv. 30. in a straight or direct line: right to the bottom. 31. quite; completely: My hat was knocked right off. 32. immediately; promptly: right after dinner. 33. exactly; precisely: right here. 34. correctly or accurately: to guess right. 35. righteously; properly: to live right. 36. advantageously or well: to turn out right. 37. on or to the right: to turn right. 38. Informal. very; extremely: a right fine day. 39. (often cap.) very (used in certain titles): The Right Reverend John Stewart. v.t. 40. to put in an upright position: to right a fallen lamp. 41. to bring into conformity with fact; correct: to right one’s point of view. 42. to do justice to; avenge: to be righted in court. 43. to redress: to right a wrong. v.i. 44. to resume an upright or proper position. Idioms: 1. by rights, in fairness; justly. 2. in one’s own right, by reason of one’s own ability, ownership, or qualifications. 3. in the right, having the support of reason or law. 4. right away or off, without hesitation; immediately. 5. right on, Slang. exactly right; precisely. 6. to rights, into proper condition or order: to set a room to rights. [before 900; (n. and adj.) Middle English; Old English riht; akin to Latin r?ctus, Old Irish recht law, Greek orektós upright; (v.) Middle English; Old English rihtan; (adv.) Middle English; Old English rihte] right?er, n. right?ness, n. usage: right in the sense of ?very, extremely? is neither old-fashioned nor dialectal. It is most common in informal speech and writing: You know right well what I mean. Its use in formal contexts can be regarded as inappropriate or erroneous. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.RightSee also left. dextrality1. the condition of having the right side distinct or different from the left.2. righthandedness.dextrogyrationdextrorotation. ? dextrogyric, adj.dextrorotationmovement or rotation to the right, or clockwise. Also called dextrogyration.dextroversionthe state or process of turning to the right.-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.rightIf you say that something is right, you mean that it is correct or appropriate.In conversation, right is sometimes an adverb. For example, someone might say ‘He did it right’. In writing, it is better to avoid this use. You should say ‘He did it the right way’ or ‘He did it in the right way’.