aright

See also: a'right

English[edit]

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

aright (comparative more aright, superlative most aright)

Rightly, correctly; in the right way or form.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 56, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes, […], book I, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
  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: Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley, chapter 24.
  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.
(archaic) To or on the right-hand side.
- 1801, Robert Southey, Thalaba the Destroyer:
  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.

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.

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.