Dictionary

aright en · ADV · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈɹaɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation, US)

Etymology

From Middle English ariȝt, ariht, from Old English āriht (“aright, properly”), from earlier *an riht, on riht (“rightly”), corresponding to a- + right.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Rightly, correctly; in the right way or form.
   • it is not easie we should so often settle our minds in so regular, so reformed, and so devout a seat, where indeed it ought to be, to pray aright and effectually: otherwise our praiers are not only vaine and unprofitable, but vicious. 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 56, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
   • "Well, gentlemen, have I read you the riddle aright, or is there any point which you would query?" 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
   • The great service which he rendered to science was that he put the right questions ; it was not that he answered them aright. 1910, James George Frazer, Totemism and Exogamy, volume 1, page vii:
   • Hear him not; call on the names of William, Justine, Clerval, Elizabeth, my father, and of the wretched Victor, and thrust your sword into his heart. I will hover near and direct the steel aright. 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], “chapter 24”, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC:
2. (archaic, not-comparable) To or on the right-hand side.
   • Once more away! and now The long descent is seen, A long, long, narrow path. Ice rocks aright, and hills of snow, Aleft the giddy precipice. 1801, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Thalaba the Destroyer, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] [F]or T[homas] N[orton] Longman and O[wen] Rees, […], by Biggs and Cottle, […], →OCLC:

Deriveds

set aright

aright en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /əˈɹaɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation, US)

Etymology

From Middle English arighten, arihten (“to raise up”); and Middle English iriȝten, irihten, ȝerihten (“to make right, correct, erect”), from Old English ġerihtan (“to set right”), equivalent to a- + right.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make right; put right; arrange or treat properly.
   • But, from working with those who have felt exiled and damned, excoriated and benumbed, and yet have made it back to useful and creative life again, I know there are more sure, albeit intense, ways to aright oneself. 2003, John Beebe, Terror, Violence, and the Impulse to Destroy:

Forms

Relateds

eright