/ raɪt; NAmE / adjective , adverb , noun , verb , exclamation
■ adjective
MORALLY GOOD
1.
[ not usually before noun ] right (to do sth) morally good or acceptable; what is correct according to law or a person's duty :
You were quite right to criticize him.
Is it ever right to kill?
It seems only right to warn you of the risk.
I hope we're doing the right thing .
OPP wrong
TRUE / CORRECT
2.
true or correct as a fact :
Did you get the answer right?
'What's the right time ?' '10.37.'
'David, isn't it?' 'Yes, that's right .'
( informal )
It was Monday you went to see Angie, right?
Let me get this right (= understand correctly) —you want us to do an extra ten hours' work for no extra pay?
OPP wrong ➡ note at true
3.
correct for a particular situation or thing, or for a particular person :
Have you got the right money (= the exact amount) for the bus fare?
Is this the right way to the beach?
You're not holding it the right way up .
Are you sure you've got that on the right way round ?
Next time we'll get it right .
He's the right man for the job.
I'm glad you split up. She wasn't right for you.
I was waiting for the right moment to ask him.
She knows all the right people (= important people, for example those who can help her career) .
His success was down to being in the right place at the right time (= being able to take opportunities when they came) .
OPP wrong
4.
[ not before noun ] right (about sth) | right (to do sth) | right (in doing sth) correct in your opinion or judgement :
She was right about Tom having no money.
You're right to be cautious.
'It's not easy.' 'Yeah, you're right .'
Am I right in thinking we've met before?
OPP wrong
NORMAL
5.
[ not before noun ] in a normal or good enough condition :
I don't feel quite right today (= I feel ill / sick) .
That sausage doesn't smell right.
Things aren't right between her parents.
If only I could have helped put matters right .
He's not quite right in the head (= not mentally normal) .
OPP wrong
NOT LEFT
6.
[ only before noun ] of, on or towards the side of the body that is towards the east when a person faces north :
my right eye
Keep on the right side of the road.
Take a right turn at the intersection.
—see also right-wing
OPP left
COMPLETE
7.
[ only before noun ] ( BrE , informal , especially disapproving ) used to emphasize sth bad :
You made a right mess of that!
I felt a right idiot.
—see also all right
► right·ness noun [ U ]:
the rightness (= justice) of their cause
the rightness of his decision
•
IDIOMS
- give your right arm for sth / to do sth
- (not) in your right mind
- (as) right as rain
- right enough
- right on
- right side up
- she'll be right
- too right
—more at button verb , foot noun , head noun , heart , idea , might noun , Mr , note noun , side noun , track noun
■ adverb
EXACTLY
1.
exactly; directly :
Lee was standing right behind her.
The wind was right in our faces.
I'm right behind you on this one (= I am supporting you) .
The bus came right on time.
COMPLETELY
2.
all the way; completely :
The car spun right off the track.
I'm right out of ideas.
She kept right on swimming until she reached the other side.
IMMEDIATELY
3.
( informal ) immediately; without delay :
I'll be right back.
I'll be right with you (= I am coming very soon) .
CORRECTLY
4.
correctly :
You guessed right.
OPP wrong
SATISFACTORILY
5.
in the way that things should happen or are supposed to happen :
Nothing's going right for me today.
OPP wrong
NOT LEFT
6.
on or to the right side :
Turn right at the end of the street.
OPP left
•
IDIOMS
- right and left
- right away / off
- right, left and centre
- right now
- right off the bat
- see sb right
—more at alley , serve verb
■ noun
STH MORALLY GOOD
1.
[ U , C ] what is morally good or correct :
She doesn't understand the difference between right and wrong.
You did right to tell me about it.
They both had some right on their side.
He wouldn't apologize. He knew he was in the right (= had justice on his side) .
It was difficult to establish the rights and wrongs (= the true facts) of the matter.
OPP wrong
MORAL / LEGAL CLAIM
2.
[ C , U ] ~ (to sth / to do sth) a moral or legal claim to have or get sth or to behave in a particular way :
Everyone has a right to a fair trial.
You have no right to stop me from going in there.
What gives you the right to do that?
She had every right to be angry.
You're quite within your rights to ask for your money back.
By rights (= if justice were done) half the money should be mine.
There is no right of appeal against the decision.
Education is provided by the state as of right (= everyone has a right to it) .
The property belongs to her by right .
They had fought hard for equal rights .
—see also animal rights , civil rights , human right
FOR BOOK / MOVIE, etc.
3.
rights [ pl. ] the authority to perform, publish, film, etc. a particular work, event, etc. :
He sold the rights for $2 million.
all rights reserved (= protected or kept for the owners of the book, film / movie, etc.)
NOT LEFT SIDE
4.
the / sb's right [ sing. ] the right side or direction :
Take the first street on the right .
She seated me on her right.
OPP left
5.
[ sing. ] the first, second, etc. ~ the first, second, etc. road on the right side :
Take the first right, then the second left.
OPP left
6.
a right [ sing. ] a turn to the right :
to make a right
( NAmE , informal )
to hang a right
OPP left
POLITICS
7.
the right , the Right [ sing.+ sing./pl. v . ] political groups that most strongly support the capitalist system
—compare right wing :
The Right in British politics is represented by the Conservative Party.
OPP left
8.
the right [ sing.+ sing./pl. v . ] the part of a political party whose members are most conservative :
He's on the right of the Labour Party.
OPP left
IN BOXING
9.
a blow that is made with your right hand
OPP left
•
IDIOMS
- bang to rights
- do right by sb
- in your own right
- put / set sb/sth to rights
—more at world , wrong noun
■ verb
[ vn ]
RETURN TO POSITION
1.
to return sb/sth/yourself to the normal, vertical position :
They learnt to right a capsized canoe.
At last the plane righted itself and flew on.
CORRECT
2.
to correct sth that is wrong or not in its normal state
SYN put right :
Righting the economy will demand major cuts in expenditure.
•
IDIOMS
- right a wrong
■ exclamation ( BrE , informal )
1.
used to show that you accept a statement or an order :
'You may find it hurts a little at first.' 'Right.'
'Barry's here.' 'Oh, right.'
'I'll have a whisky and soda.' ' Right you are , sir.'
2.
used to get sb's attention to say that you are ready to do sth, or to tell them to do sth :
Right! Let's get going.
3.
used to check that sb agrees with you or has understood you :
So that's twenty of each sort, right?
And I didn't think any more of it, right, but Mum says I should see a doctor.
4.
( ironic ) used to say that you do not believe sb or that you disagree with them :
'I won't be late tonight.' ' Yeah, right .'
••
SYNONYMS
right
correct
Both these words describe a belief, opinion, decision or method that is suitable or the best one for a particular situation.
right
if sb is right to do or think sth, that is a good thing to do or think in that situation:
You're right to be cautious.
•
You made the right decision.
•
'It's not easy.' 'Yes, you're right.'
correct
(of a method, belief, opinion or decision) right and suitable in a particular situation:
What's the correct way to shut the machine down?
•
I don't think she's correct to say he's incompetent.
right or correct?
Correct is more formal than right . It is more often used for methods and right is more often used for beliefs, opinions and decisions.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
right / correct about sb/sth
right / correct to do sth
right / correct in thinking / believing / saying sth
to be / prove right / correct
the right / correct decision / judgement / conclusion
the right / correct way / method / approach
absolutely / quite right / correct
••
WHICH WORD
right / rightly
Right and rightly can both be used as adverbs. In the sense 'correctly' or 'in the right way', right is the usual adverb. It is only used after verbs:
He did it right.
•
Did I spell your name right?
Rightly cannot be used like this. In formal language correctly is used:
Is your name spelled correctly?
The usual meaning of rightly is 'for a good reason' and it comes before an adjective:
They are rightly proud of their children.
It can be used to mean 'correctly' before a verb or in particular phrases:
As you rightly say, we have a serious problem.
In NAmE rightly is not at all common.
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English riht (adjective and noun), rihtan (verb), rihte (adverb), of Germanic origin; related to Latin rectus ruled, from an Indo-European root denoting movement in a straight line.