Main Entry:

²right

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Old English riht, from riht, adjective

Date:

before 12th century

1: qualities (as adherence to duty or obedience to lawful authority) that together constitute the ideal of moral propriety or merit moral approval2: something to which one has a just claim: as a: the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled <voting rights> <his right to decide> b (1): the interest that one has in a piece of property —often used in plural <mineral rights> (2)plural : the property interest possessed under law or custom and agreement in an intangible thing especially of a literary and artistic nature <film rights of the novel> 3: something that one may properly claim as due <knowing the truth is her right>4: the cause of truth or justice5 a: right hand 1a ; also : a blow struck with this hand <gave him a hard right on the jaw> b: the location or direction of the right side <woods on his right> c: the part on the right side d: right field e: a turn to the right <take a right at the stop sign>6 a: the true account or correct interpretation b: the quality or state of being factually correct7often capitalized a: the part of a legislative chamber located to the right of the presiding officer b: the members of a continental European legislative body occupying the right as a result of holding more conservative political views than other members8 aoften capitalized : individuals professing support of the established order and favoring traditional attitudes and practices and conservative governmental policies boften capitalized : a conservative position9 a: a privilege given stockholders to subscribe pro rata to a new issue of securities generally below market price b: the negotiable certificate evidencing such privilege —usually used in plural

— right·most \-ˌmōst\ adjective

— by rights also by all rights

: with reason or justice : properly

— in one's own right

: by virtue of one's own qualifications or properties

— of right

1: as an absolute right2: legally or morally exactable

— to rights

: into proper order