- pletely to one's satisfaction;
right there = on the spot; right great = very much; right now = instanter; right SO = just SO; TO DO ONE RIGHT (or reason) = (1) to do justice, and (2) to pledge in drinking; right out = to a finish; right down = downright; right smart = extremely clever; right AWAY (OUT, or STRAIGHT), RIGHT OFF (HERE or OUT) = immediately; to turn (or send) TO THE RIGHT-ABOUT = to dismiss; right you are = a complete acquiescence; all right = certainly, O.K. (Grose); A bit of all right = extremely good; right along = at these presents; right up to the handle = excellent; TO do (or have) one to rights = to serve one out; to set to rights = to put in order; right on = entirely, straightforward; right forth = straight; by good rights = it should be so; right royal = drunk. See Leg.
c.1307. Rel. Antiq., ii. 19. As ryt AS RAMIS ORN.
1340. Gamelyn [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 39. Men dress (set) things to-Rightes; this adverb (few recognise it) is the source of our setting things to rights].
1350. William of Palerne [E.E.T.S.], 3066. The quen er the day was dight wel to rightes Hendli in that hynde-skin as swiche bestes were, Ibid., 4268. Sche swelt for sorwe and swoned rit there.
1356. Mandeville, Travels, 181. And he hem turnethe alle the Firmament righte as dothe a Wheel that turneth be his Axille Tree.
1383. Chaucer, Cant. Tales, 3629 [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 127. There are new phrases like right (just) now. . . .].
c. 1440. Merlin [E.E.T.S.], ii. 129. Thei asked yef thei hadde grete haste; and thei ansuerde, 'Ye, right grete.'
c. 1450. Knight of La Tour-Landry [Oliphant, New Eng., i. 284. We have right so . . . where we now say just so].
d. 1460. Lydgate [MS. Harl., 172, 71]. Conveyde by lyne ryght as a rammes HORNE.
d. 1529. Skelton, Why Come Ye Not, &c.? 86. Do ryght and doe no wronge, As RYGHT AS A RAMMES HORNE. Ibid., Speke Parrot, 498. So myche raggyd RYGHTE OF A RAMMES HORNE. Ibid., Colyn Cloute, 1200. They say many matters ar born Be hyt ryghte as a RAMBES HORN.
1508. Shakspeare, 2 Henry IV., v. 3. Why now you have done me right. Ibid. (1609), Tempest, iv. i. 101. And be a boy right out.
1605. Sylvester, Du Bartas, ii. I doo adiure thee (O great King) by all That in the World we sacred count or call, To doe me Right.
1607. W[entworth] S[mith], Puritan, i. 1. He was my brother, as right AS RIGHT.
1612-5. Hall, Contemp. [Tegg], v. 176. A prudent circumlocution which right down would not be digested.
1622. Fletcher, Beggar's Bust, ii. 3. 'Tis freely spoken, noble burgomaster I'll DO YOU RIGHT.
1624. Massinger, Bondman, ii. 3. These glasses contain nothing; do me right As e'er you hope for liberty.
1663. Tuke, Adv. Five Hours [Dodsley, Old Plays (Reed), xii. 26]. Your master's health, sir—I'll do you reason, sir.
1703. Farquhar, Inconstant, ii. 2. Oh, pardon me, sir, you shall do me right. . . . Now, sir, can you drink a health.
1726. Swift, Gulliver's Travels, II. viii. They let the hulk drop into the sea, which by reason of many breaches made in the bottom and sides, sunk to rights.
1749. Smollett, Gil Blas [Routledge], 26. God knows if his heart lay in the right place.
18[?]. Humphreys, Yankee in England. Aunt. Bring back an answer,—quick. Doolittle. In a jiffing, I'll be back TO RIGHTS.
1842. Dickens, American Notes, ii. I now saw that "right away" and "directly" meant the same thing. Ibid. (1854), Hard Times, iv. Turn this girl to the right-about, and there's an end of it.
