right

I UK [raɪt] / US adverb ***

1) exactly

Their office is right in the middle of town.

The keys were right here a minute ago.

"Am I late?" "No, you're right on time."

right behind/in front of:

Don't worry – I'm right behind you.

2) immediately

I knew right from the start we were going to have problems.

right after/before:

He arrived right after me.

3) all the way

right up/down:

The water came right up to our knees.

right through:

My foot went right through the floorboards.

right into/out of:

The car swerved and went right into a wall.

4) completely

It'd gone right out of my mind until just now.

5) in the direction of your right side

Turn right at the corner.

6) correctly, or accurately

You did it right the first time.

7) in the way that you would normally hope something to be

go right:

Everything went just right and the party was a big success.

do right (to do something):

"You did right to call me," he said.

•

someone will be right with you/right there — spoken used for saying that someone is coming very soon

Make yourself at home. I'll be right with you.

- right and left

- right away

- right now

See:

alley, rightly, see I, serve I, street

II UK [raɪt] / US adjective ***

1)

a) if something is right, it is correct according to the facts

"D" is the right answer.

Is this the right way to the station?

Does anyone have the right time?

get something right:

Let me get this right – you told her about it?

b) if someone is right, they are correct in their opinion or explanation

You were absolutely right. My sweater was in the car.

right about:

She's right about one thing – we do need a bigger house.

be right in saying/thinking/believing etc something:

I think he's quite right in saying that these shares are overvalued.

2) morally correct

it is right (of someone) to do something:

It wasn't right of her to take advantage of you.

do the right thing:

You did the right thing by telling them you had lied.

it is (only) right that:

It is right that such efforts should be rewarded.

it is only right to do something:

I think it's only right to warn you that I'm actively looking for another job.

3) in the position, state, or situation that you would normally expect someone or something to be

Be sure the handle is in the right position before switching on the machine.

She hadn't been feeling right for weeks.

He walked in and could see immediately that something wasn't right.

4) on or relating to the side of your body that is towards the east when you are facing north

Hold the bat in your right hand.

One of the engines on the right side of the aircraft caught fire.

Take the next right turn, which leads straight to the farm.

5) the right person or thing for someone or something has exactly the qualities that are wanted or needed

I'm not sure this is the right time to go on holiday.

Harry's definitely the right person for the job.

right for:

I always told you he wasn't right for you (= as a boyfriend or husband).

6) fashionable, important, or belonging to a high social class

He's seen with all the right people in all the right places.

7) relating to the side of something that should be seen or used

Make sure the right side of the fabric is facing outwards.

the right way up/round:

Perhaps you should try turning the map the right way up.

8) British spoken complete: often used for emphasizing how bad someone or something is

He made me look a right idiot.

You've made a right mess of things.

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(as) right as rain — informal not ill or injured in any way

A few days in bed and you'll be as right as rain.

give your right arm (for something/to do something) — informal to be willing to do anything in order to get or achieve something

At that moment she would have given her right arm to not be in that room.

not in your right mind/not right in the head — informal crazy

He's never been quite right in the head.

put/set someone right — British to make someone understand that a situation is different from what they thought it was; British

informal to make someone feel better

She thought you could buy tickets at the door, but we soon put her right.

Try taking extra vitamins – that'll put you right.

- in the right place at the right time

- no one in their right mind would do something

- she'll be right

- a step in the right direction

- that's right

See:

all right I, Mr Right, Ms Right, right-of-centre

III UK [raɪt] / US noun
Word forms "right":
singular right plural rights
***

Get it right: right:

When the noun right means "something that you are morally or legally allowed to do", it is mainly used in these patterns: ▪  the right to do something
▪  the right to something
It is not usually followed by the preposition of:
Wrong: Just like humans, animals have the right of living.
Right: Just like humans, animals have the right to live.
Wrong: The new law restricts the right of smoking in different areas of a restaurant.
Right: The new law restricts the right to smoke in different areas of a restaurant.
Wrong: ...the individual's right of self-protection
Right: ...the individual's right to self-protection
However, the pattern the right of is used in some fixed expressions in legal and official contexts. The most frequent ones are:
right of abode, right of access, right of appeal, right of entry, right of free speech, right of reply, right of silence, right of veto, right of way
At the start of the police interrogation the suspect is informed of his right of silence.

1) [uncountable] behaviour that is considered good or moral

I think we've got right on our side (= we are morally right).

right and wrong (= good and bad):

Do children of that age really know the difference between right and wrong?

2) [countable] something that you are morally or legally allowed to do or have

Workers' rights are practically non-existent in many clothing factories here.

equal rights (for someone) (= the same rights for everyone):

legislation providing equal employment rights for women

right to:

the right to political asylum

have a/no/every right to do something:

After the way you've been treated, you have every right to complain.

You have no right to come barging in here like that.

give someone the right to do something:

What gives you the right to talk to me in that high-handed way?

See:

bill of rights, civil rights

3) rights

[plural] the legal authority to publish a book, play, film, piece of music etc or to use it for a performance or production right to:

I hear that she sold the film rights to her book for a substantial sum.

4)

a) [singular] the side of your body that is towards the east when you are facing north, or this direction

the right:

Could people in the front two rows move a little to the right?

on the right (of):

Her house is on the right of the street.

on someone's right:

It's the second door on your right.

to someone's right:

As we climbed, we saw a row of mountains to our right.

b) [singular] a turn towards the right by someone walking or driving

make/take a right:

Take a right at the art gallery.

5)

a) the right or the Right the political party or the group of people within a society who are conservative in their political views: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

The Minister has been attacked by the Right for her reforms.

b) the right the members of a particular political party who are the most conservative in their political views: can be followed by a singular or plural verb

Most people on the right of the party support privatization.

6) [countable] a hit made with your right hand

right to:

He was knocked out with a right to the jaw.

•

be within your rights (to do something) — to have the moral or legal authority to do something

You are quite within your rights to sue them.

by right/(as) of right — because you are morally or legally allowed to do or have something

I wasn't stealing – these things are mine by right.

the first/second etc right — the first/second etc road or street on the right

Take the second right and then go straight on.

have (got) someone bang to rights — British

very informal to have enough evidence to prove that someone is guilty of a crime

put/set something to rights — to make something go back to its normal state again

We'll have to put the place to rights before they get back.

See:

world

- animal rights

- be in the right

- by rights

- do right by someone

- in your own right

- the rights and wrongs of something

See:

right of way, two

Derived word:
rightness
noun uncountable
IV UK [raɪt] / US interjection **

1) used for making someone pay attention before you say something

Right! Is everybody ready to start?

2) used for saying that you have finished one thing and are going to do something else

Right, let's try another approach.

3) used for asking whether what you have said is correct

You told everyone about tomorrow's meeting, right?

4)

a) used for saying that you agree with a statement or accept a suggestion or an order

"Get some more milk when you're out." "Right."

right you are:

"See you Sunday, I expect." "Right you are!"

b) spoken used for saying that you disagree completely with a statement or do not intend to accept a suggestion or an order

"He said he'll be here on time." "Yeah, right. Like last time."

5) used in an informal way for checking that someone is paying attention and understands what you are saying

I was coming home, right, about 12 o'clock, and I saw him running off.

•

- right on

- too right

V UK [raɪt] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "right":
present tense I/you/we/they right he/she/it rights present participle righting past tense righted past participle righted

1) to put someone or something back into their usual upright position

We righted the canoe and were able to paddle back to shore.

2) to make something go back into the state or situation that you would normally expect it to be in

a futile attempt to right a hopeless situation

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- right a wrong