aright

See also: a'right

English edit

Pronunciation edit

(Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /əˈɹaɪt/
Audio (Southern England) (file)
Rhymes: -aɪt

Etymology 1 edit

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

Adverb edit

aright (not comparable)

Rightly, correctly; in the right way or form.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 56, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
  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.
- 1818, [Mary Shelley], “chapter 24”, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, →OCLC:
  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.
- 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London, New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
  "Well, gentlemen, have I read you the riddle aright, or is there any point which you would query?"
(archaic) To or on the right-hand side.
- 1801, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Thalaba the Destroyer, volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] [F]or T[homas] N[orton] Longman and O[wen] Rees, […], by Biggs and Cottle, […], →OCLC:
  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.

Derived terms edit

set aright

Etymology 2 edit

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.

Verb edit

aright (third-person singular simple present arights, present participle arighting, simple past and past participle arighted)

(transitive) To make right; put right; arrange or treat properly.
- 2003, John Beebe, Terror, Violence, and the Impulse to Destroy:
  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.