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downright

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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WOTD – 21 October 2025

Etymology

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The adverb is derived from Middle English dounright, dounriȝt (“right down, straight down; face down; vertically; used for emphasis: outright, downright”),[1] and then either:

By surface analysis, down (adverb) +‎ right (adjective).

The adjective and noun are derived from the adverb. Noun sense 1 (“low grade of wool”) may be from the obsolete adjective sense 2.2 (“in its most basic form; ordinary”).[3]

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈdaʊnɹaɪt/, (as a postqualifier or at the end of a clause) /ˌdaʊnˈɹaɪt/
  • IPA(key): /ˈdaʊnˌɹaɪt/, (as a postqualifier or at the end of a clause) /ˌdaʊnˈɹaɪt/
  • Audio (General American); /ˈdaʊnˌɹaɪt/:(file)
  • Rhymes: (as a postqualifier or at the end of a clause) -aɪt
  • Hyphenation: down‧right

Adverb

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downright (not comparable)

  1. (figurative)
    2. Completely, wholly.
      Synonyms: absolutely, entirely, outright, positively, right-down, thoroughly, utterly; see also Thesaurus:completely
      He wasn’t just cool to me, he was downright rude.
      • c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC; republished as Shakspere’s Loves Labours Lost (Shakspere-Quarto Facsimiles; no. 5), London: W[illiam] Griggs, […], [1880], →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], signature H3, recto, line 388:
        VVe vvere deſcried, theyle mock vs novv dounright.
      • 1664, H[enry] More, “[The Apology of Dr. Henry More, […].] Chapter X.”, in Synopsis Prophetica; or, The Second Part of the Modest Enquiry into the Mystery of Iniquity: […], London: […] James Flesher, for William Morden […], →OCLC, page 562:
        VVhat then are thoſe monſtrous Extravagancies in your deportment to all perſons of vvhat quality ſoever? […] VVhich bold and impudent cuſtome, unleſs you vvere dovvn-right mad, you could never have taken up of your ſelves. VVherefore certainly ſome very vvaggiſh Maſter of the Ceremonies has taught you this ill manners, like him that inſtructed the Sheriff to keep on his Hat vvhen he accoſted the King.
      • 1716 March 21 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison], The Drummer; or, The Haunted House. A Comedy. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], published 1716 (indicated as 1715), →OCLC, Act I, page 8:
        Familiar! Madam, in Troth he's dovvn-right rude.
      • 1787 February 10 (first performance), [Elizabeth] Inchbald, Such Things Are; […], London: […] G[eorge] G[eorge] J[ohn] and J. Robinson, […], published 1788, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i, page 47:
        If my friend had not given me the hint, damn me if I ſhou'd not think her dovvn right angry.
      • 1955 January, John W. Grant, “The Scottish Contribution”, in The Railway Magazine, London: Tothill Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 49:
        The pure Drummond product, the four-cylinder 4-6-0 as built for the London & South Western, was a less successful design, and some of the specimens were downright bad.
    3. (archaic) Of acts or speech: directly and unambiguously; clearly, plainly.
      Synonyms: bluntly, outright
  2. (obsolete)
    1. Straight down; perpendicularly.
      • 1542, Thomas Eliot [i.e., Thomas Elyot], “Cedentes capilli”, in Bibliotheca Eliotæ: Eliotis Librarie, London: Thomas Berthelet, […], published 1545, →OCLC, signature H.ii., recto, column 1:
        Cedentes capilli, heares [hairs] hanging down ryght.
      • 1601, C[aius] Plinius Secundus [i.e., Pliny the Elder], “[Book XXXIII.] The Manner of Finding Gold Naturally in the Mine. When were Knowne the First Statues of Gold. The Medicinable Vertues and Properties of Gold.”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Historie of the World. Commonly Called, The Naturall Historie of C. Plinius Secundus. […], 2nd tome, London: […] Adam Islip, →OCLC, page 467:
        [Y]et there bee other difficulties that impeach their vvorke: for othervvhiles they meet vvith rocks of flint and rags, as vvell in undermining forvvard, as in ſinking pits dovvne right; vvhich they are driven to pierce and cleave through vvith fire and vinegre.
      • 1674, John Ray, “The Manner of Working the Iron at the Forge or Hammer”, in A Collection of English Words. Not Generally Used, with Their Significations and Original, […], London: […] H. Bruges for Tho[mas] Burrell  […], →OCLC, page 129:
        In removing and tranſplanting young Oakes you muſt be ſure not to cut off or vvound that part of the root, vvhich deſcends dovvn-right (vvhich in ſome Countreys they call the tap-root) but dig it up to the bottome, and prepare your hole deep enough to ſet it: […]
      • 1728, [Alexander Pope], “Book the Second”, in The Dunciad. An Heroic Poem. […], Dublin; London: […] A. Dodd, →OCLC, page 29, lines 263–264:
        He […] climb'd a ſtranded Lighter's height, / Shot to the black abyſs, and plung'd dovvn-right.
      • [1813 January 30, James Hogg, “Night the First. The Witch of Fife. The Eighth Bard’s Song.”, in The Queen’s Wake: A Legendary Poem, Edinburgh: George Goldie, […]; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC, page 72:
        Than sousit dounright like the stern-shot light, / Fra the liftis blue casement driven.
        Written in a Scots style.]
      • 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “The Quarter-deck”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 184:
        The three mates quailed before his strong, sustained, and mystic aspect. Stubb and Flask looked sideways from him; the honest eye of Starbuck fell downright.
    2. (figurative) Immediately at that place and time; without delay; altogether, at once, then and there.
      Synonyms: outright, straight, straight away
      • 1642, H[enry] M[ore], “ΨΥΧΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΑ [Psychathanasia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Poem of the Immortality of Souls, Especially Mans Soul”, in ΨΥΧΩΔΙΑ [Psychōdia] Platonica: Or A Platonicall Song of the Soul, […], Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Roger Daniel, printer to the Universitie, →OCLC, book 1, canto 1, stanza 3, page 34:
        This is the ſoul that I vvith preſſer quill / Muſt novv purſue and fall upon dovvn-right, […]
      • 1712, Humphry Polesworth [pseudonym; John Arbuthnot], “An Account of the Conference between Mrs. Bull and Don Diego Dismallo”, in John Bull in His Senses: Being the Second Part of Law is a Bottomless-Pit. […], Edinburgh: […] James Watson, […], →OCLC, page 18:
        The reading of this Paper put Mrs. Bull in ſuch a Paſſion, that ſhe fell dovvnright into a Fit, and they vvere forc’d to give her a good quantity of the Spirit of Hartſhorn before ſhe recover’d.
      • 1753 (indicated as 1754), [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXIV. Miss Byron. In Continuation.”, in The History of Sir Charles Grandison. […], volume V, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by C. Hitch and L. Hawes, […], →OCLC, page 230:
        And, dear Lady G. he dovvnright kiſſed me—My lip; and not my cheek—and in ſo fervent a vvay—I tell you every-thing, my Charlotte—I could have been angry—had I knovvn hovv, from ſurprize.

Usage notes

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Sense 1.1 (“completely, wholly”) is used to emphasize or intensify the following adjective, which usually refers to some negative quality.

Derived terms

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Translations

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Adjective

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downright (comparative more downright, superlative most downright)

  1. (figurative)
    1. Absolute, complete.
      Synonyms: (Scotland) evendown, outright, right-down, unmitigated, utter; see also Thesaurus:total
      • 1646, Thomas Browne, “Of Credulity and Supinity”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward Dod, […], →OCLC, 1st book, page 17:
        For although in that ancient and diffuſed adoration of IdolLs, unto the Prieſts and ſubtiler heads, the vvorſhip perhaps might be ſymbolicall, and as thoſe Images ſome vvay related unto their deities, yet vvas the Idolatry direct and dovvne-right in the people, vvhoſe credulity is illimitable, vvho may be made believe that any thing is God, and may be made believe there is no God at all.
      • 1749, Henry Fielding, “A Further Explanation of the foregoing Design”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume V, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book XV, page 214:
        'I ſee his Deſign,' ſaid ſhe, 'for he made dovvnright Love to me Yeſterday Morning; but as I am reſolved never to admit it, I beg your Ladyſhip not to leave us alone together any more, […]'
      • [1865, George Mac Donald, chapter XI, in Alec Forbes of Howglen. […], volume II, London: Hurst and Blackett, publishers, successors to Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 99:
        Ye're a' gait at ance, Annie Anderson. A doonricht rintheroot!
        Representing Scots speech.]
      • 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson, chapter I, in Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes […], London: Seeley, Jackson, and Halliday, […], →OCLC, page 1:
        The weather is raw and boisterous in winter, shifty and ungenial in summer, and a downright meteorological purgatory in the spring.
      • 1934, J[ohn] B[oynton] Priestley, “To the West Riding”, in English Journey […], London: William Heinemann in association with Victor Gollancz, →OCLC, section 1, page 150:
        People who are downright bad drivers should not handle a motor these days, when the roads are so crowded and dangerous. They are a menace to other persons as well as to themselves.
    2. Of a person or their behaviour: direct, plain, straightforward; also, of speech: direct and unambiguous; blunt, to the point.
      Synonyms: clear, unevasive
      • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 73, column 2:
        The ſay this Angelo vvas not made by Man and VVoman, after this dovvne-right vvay of Creation: is it true, thinke you?
      • 1616–1619 (first performance), John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, Nathan Field, “The Knight of Malta”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act V, scene ii, page 93, column 2:
        [Y]our dovvne right Captain ſtill Ile lieve, and ſerve you, […]
      • a. 1627 (date written), Francis Bacon, “Supplement XIII. The Prudent Statesman: Or, The Office of Prime Ministers. Section VIII.”, in Peter Shaw, editor, The Philosophical Works of Francis Bacon, […], volume II, London: […] J. J. and P. Knapton;  […], published 1733, →OCLC, paragraph 113, page 209:
        And here an Admonition from a dead Author, or a Caveat from an Impartial Pen, vvhoſe Aim neither vvas, nor can be taken, as any particular By-Deſign, vvill prevail more, and have a better Effect, than a dovvn-right Advice; […]
      • 1727, [Daniel Defoe], “Of the Present Pretences of the Magicians: How They Defend Themselves; and Some Examples of Their Practice”, in A System of Magick; or, A History of the Black Art. […], London: […] J. Roberts […], →OCLC, page 314:
        [T]hree Nights together he dreamt that he ſavv a Neighbouring Gentleman kiſſing his Miſtreſs, and in dovvnright Engliſh, lying with her.
      • 1733, Alexander Pope, The First Satire of the Second Book of Horace, […], London [actually Edinburgh]: […] L[awton] G[illiver] and sold by A. Dodd […], E[lizabeth] Nutt […], →OCLC, page 9:
        I love to pour out all myſelf, as plain / As dovvnright Shippen, or as old Montagne.
      • 1776 March 9, Adam Smith, “Of Money Considered as a Particular Branch of the General Stock of the Society, or of the Expence of Maintaining the National Capital”, in An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. […], volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC, book II (Of the Nature, Accumulation, and Employment of Stock), page 396:
        It bears the evident marks of having originally been, vvhat the honeſt and dovvnright Doctor Douglaſs aſſures us it vvas, a ſcheme of fraudulent debtors to cheat their creditors.
      • 1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter IV, in Emma: […], volume I, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC, page 66:
        There is an openness, a quickness, almost a bluntness in Mr. Weston, which every body likes in him because there is so much good humour with it—but that would not do to be copied. Neither would Mr. Knightley's downright, decided, commanding sort of manner—though it suits him very well; his figure, and look, and situation in life seem to allow it; but if any young man were to set about copying him, he would not be sufferable.
      • 1828 May 15, [Walter Scott], chapter IV, in Chronicles of the Canongate. Second Series. […] (The Fair Maid of Perth), volume II, Edinburgh: […] [Ballantyne and Co.] for Cadell and Co.; London: Simpkin and Marshall, →OCLC, page 121:
        Harry is a simple downright fellow, and though I think he is my better in a broil, yet in discourse I can turn him my own way.
      • 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XVIII, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 237:
        Her husband was evidently a sensible man, and he might have given his wife a little more sense than she could have derived from her downright father and her silly mother-in-law, who were really as great a pair of noodles as ever were exhibited in the pages of a modern novel, under the cognomen of "amiable rustics."
      • 1907, George [Ramsdale] Witton, “The Australians in Cape Town”, in Scapegoats of the Empire: The True Story of Breaker Morant’s Bushveldt Carbineers, Angus & Robertson Publishers, published 1982, →ISBN, page 35:
        There were miners from Klondyke, hunters from the backwoods, troopers from the Northwest Frontier Police, and included were some of the "hardest cases" that the land of the maple leaf ever produced; these were past-masters in the use of unique expletives, and for downright and original profanity it would hardly be possible to find their equal.
      • 1920, Annie Shepley Omori, Kochi Doi, “Translators’ Note”, in Annie Shepley Omori, Kochi Doi, transl., Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company […], →OCLC, page v:
        Izumi Shikibu's Diary is written with extreme delicacy of treatment. English words and thought seem too downright a medium into which to render these evanescent, half-expressed sentences and poems—vague as the misty mountain scenery of her country, with no pronouns at all, and without verb inflections.
      • 1934, J[ohn] B[oynton] Priestley, “To Lincoln and Norfolk”, in English Journey […], London: William Heinemann in association with Victor Gollancz, →OCLC, section 1, page 364:
        That this paragraph will annoy the typical citizen of Hull, who prides himself upon being a plain and downright fellow, I have no doubt whatever; but he should give it a chance, for he is not so plain and downright as he woud have us believe, and neither is that city of his.
      • 1941, Emily Carr, “Skedans”, in Klee Wyck (Clarke Irwin Canadian Paperback Series; CI 9), centennial edition, Toronto, Ont.; Vancouver, B.C.: Clarke, Irwin & Company, published 1971, →ISBN, page 19:
        The twisted trees and high tossed driftwood hinted that Skedans could be as thoroughly fierce as she was calm. She was downright about everything.
  2. (obsolete)
    1. Coming straight down; directed vertically.
    3. (figurative) Chiefly in downright money: in its most basic form; ordinary.
      • 1712 January 15 (Gregorian calendar), [Richard Steele], “FRIDAY, January 4, 1711–1712”, in The Spectator, number 266; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume III, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 329:
        [T]he merchant's wife, next to her who abounds in plenty, is not to have downright money, but the mercenary part of her mind is engaged with a present of plate, and a little ambition.
        That is, money in the form of cash.

Translations

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Noun

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downright (plural downrights) (obsolete)

  2. (chiefly in the plural) A low grade of wool from the lower parts of the sides of a fleece.
    • 1749, William Ellis, “Of Sheering Sheep”, in A Compleat System of Experienced Improvements, Made on Sheep, Grass-lambs, and House-lambs: Or, The Country Gentleman’s, the Grasier’s, the Sheep-dealer’s, and the Shepherd’s Sure Guide: […], London: […] T[homas] Astley; and sold by R[oberts?] Baldwin, Jun. […]; and E. Nicolson, […], →OCLC, book III, page 382:
      It is ſaid, there are nine Sorts of VVool contained in one good Fleece, vvhich to make out, they ſay, that there are five Sorts for making Cloth, and four for Combings; a ſuperfine VVool, a head VVool, Dovvnrights, Seconds, and Livery.
  3. (rare) A vertical line; a perpendicular, a vertical.
    • 1674, N[athaniel] Fairfax, chapter V, in A Treatise of the Bulk and Selvedge of the World. Wherein the Greatness, Littleness and Lastingness of Bodies are Freely Handled. […], London: […] Robert Boulter, […], →OCLC, page 153:
      [T]he middle of it [i.e., the thigh, is] the prop or thiller, the body the vveight, and the leg the povver; either of vvhich being brought by a ſharp angle to a dovvnright or perpendicular or more, vvith the thiller, vvill by ſo much leſſen the vveight, from the yielded aſſumption in that mechanick povver, That the point, vvhich is toucht by a perpendicular from the centre of heavineſs, is one of the terms: […]

References

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  1. ^ “dǒun-right, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  2. ^ “adǒun-right, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 “downright, adv., adj., and n.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, September 2025; “downright, adj. and adv.”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
  4. ^ “adǒun, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  5. ^ Joseph Bosworth (1882), “a-dún, -dúne, adv.”, in T[homas] Northcote Toller, editor, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 7, column 2.
  6. ^ Joseph Bosworth (1882), “dún”, in T[homas] Northcote Toller, editor, An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 218, column 2.
  7. ^ “right, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  8. ^ “dǒun, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
  9. ^ T[homas] Northcote Toller (1921), “dúne, adj.”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary […]: Supplement, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 160, column 2.

Anagrams

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