"aright" - Word of the Day from the OED

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aright, adv., orig. phr.

SECOND EDITION 1989

(rat)  Forms: 1-3 ariht, o rit, 3-4 arit, aryt, 4 ariht(e, aryht, 4-6 aryght, 4- aright. [f. A prep.¹ + RIGHT n., OE. riht.] 

    1. In a right way or manner; rightly, justly, correctly, properly.

c970 Laws of Edgar Canon 67 (Bosw.) if man hit ariht asméa c1175 Lamb. Hom. 89 if we hit ariht halde. c1260 Fall & Passion 72 in E.E.P. (1862) 14 osep of arimathie: at louid ihsu wel arit. c1386 CHAUCER Frankl. Prol. 22 Ther he might leren gentillesse aright [v.r. aryht]. 1398 TREVISA Barth. De P.R. XVIII. xii. (1495) 771 Euyll kynges that rulyth theym not a ryght. 1535 COVERDALE Ps. lxxvii. 8 A generacion that set not their herte aright. 1627 P. FLETCHER Locusts II. xxv, Few step aright, but most goe with the croud. 1742 YOUNG Nt. Th. I. 59 If heard aright, It is the knell of my departed hours. 1860 TYNDALL Glac. II. §29. 398 If I understand aright, this is the main argument.

    2. Straight, straightway. Obs. (Cf. RIGHTS.)

c1250 Gen. & Ex. 1299 Abraham was buxum o rit, Hise weie he tok sone bi nit. 1297 R. GLOUC. 218 Ther were duntes aryt, and suerdes wel ydraw. c1460 How a Marchande, etc. 237 in Hazl. E.P.P. 207 They on-dedyn the mouth aryght, There they sawe a ryalle syght.

    3. Right:    a. Exactly, just (arch.).    b. Directly, straight, in a straight line (obs.).

c1386 CHAUCER Prol. 267 His eyghen twynkeled in his heed aright, As don the sterres. 1571 DIGGES Geom. Pract. I. xviii. Fb, Vntill the second marke offer it selfe aright betweene the extreeme part of your length and sight. 1611 SPEED Hist. Gt. Brit. IX. xix. (1632) 936 He neuer after could indure to look aright on King Richard. 1850 MRS. BROWNING Drama of Exile, Poems I. 89 Is it true besidesAright true?

    4. Right, on the square: cf. A-WRY. Obs.

1571 DIGGES Pantom. I. Biijb, If all the sides be equall, and no angle aright, then is it called Rombus.

    5. On the right (hand). arch. rare.

1795 SOUTHEY Joan of Arc VI. 308 Aright, aleft, The affrighted foemen scatter from his spear.

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