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aright

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: a'right

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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

Adverb

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aright (not comparable)

  1. 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.
    • 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:
      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.
    • 1910, James George Frazer, Totemism and Exogamy, volume 1, page vii:
      The great service which he rendered to science was that he put the right questions ; it was not that he answered them 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?"
  2. (archaic) To or on the right-hand side.
    • 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:
      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
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Etymology 2

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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

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

  1. (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.
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References

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Anagrams

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