| 释义 |
rightful, a. (n. and adv.)|ˈraɪtfʊl|
Forms: see right a.; also 3–4 -fol(le, -vol(le, 4–5 -fulle, 4–6 -full, 5 -fful.
[Late OE. rihtful, f. riht right n.1 + -ful.]
1. Of persons: Disposed to do right; upright, just. (Cf. righteous a. 1.) Now rare or Obs.
a1122O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1100, Eall þet þe Gode wæs lað & rihtfullan mannan..wæs ᵹewunelic on þisan lande. c1275Lay. 10100 Luce was kinebore..and he was swiþe rihfolle. 1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1606 Emperour [Trajan] was Þe nobloste þat miȝte be,..So riȝtuol he was. 1362Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 17 Seue siþes a day..sungeþ þe rihtful mon. c1380Lay Folks Catech. (Lamb. MS.) 531 This god is..most ryȝtful, and most ful of goodnesse. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 189 Be ryghtfull to al men, Slow to be wroth, Redy to mercy. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 66/4 Thenne said Saul, I haue synned... Thou arte right⁓fuller than I am. 1529Rastell Pastyme (1811) 20 The moost ryghtful and indyfferent juge that ever was. 1596Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 301 Por. The Court awards it, and the law doth giue it. Iew. Most rightfull Iudge. 1611Cotgr., Iuste,..incorrupt, rightfull, vpright, sincere.
1819Shelley Cenci iii. i. 179 Mighty death! Thou double⁓visaged shadow! Only judge! Rightfullest arbiter!
†b. absol. (Cf. righteous 1 b and 1 c.)
a1325Prose Psalter xxxvi[i]. 25 Whan þe riȝtful haþ fallen, he ne shal nouȝt ben hirt. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 241 Alle þat helpeth þe innocent and halt with þe riȝtful. a1425Cursor M. 17315 (Trin.), Euel haue ȝe done wolde ȝe be knowen Of þat riȝtful þat ȝe dud honge.
2. Of actions, etc.: In conformity with what is right or just; equitable, thoroughly fair.
1297R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2876 Hii binome him is kinedom & þat is a riȝtuol dede. Ibid. 5391 Lawes he made riȝtuolore & strengore þan er were. 1340Ayenb. 44 Þe oþre manere is huanne me heþ riȝtuolle wyȝtes and riȝtuolle mesures and zelleþ ontreweliche. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 127 Crist..leue þe lede þi londe, so leute þe louye, And for þi riȝtful rewlyng be rewarded in heuene! 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 145 Hoppe is a ryghtfull tryste for a ryghtfull Werke. 1481Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 103 The quarel that I haue is rightful. a1533Ld. Berners Huon lxxxi. 249 Let me haue ryghtfull and trewe iugement. 1590Spenser F.Q. i. xii. 28 For truth is strong her rightfull cause to plead. c1630Milton Circumcision 17 For we by rightfull doom remediles Were lost in death. a1721Prior (J.), The smiling hours; Such as with friendly care have guarded Patriots and kings in rightful wars. 1813Scott Rokeby v. xxi, He that sings the rightful cause. 1859I. Taylor Logic in Theol. 201 Can it be rightful..to enact in India..that which was enacted for the Roman world?
3. Legal, lawful, legitimate:
a. Of persons, in respect of position or claims.
c1330Arth. & Merl. 2804 (Kölbing), Euerichon..maden solempne bisecheinge For to haue a riȝtful kinge. 1390Gower Conf. III. 4122 So were thei for everemo..Departed fro the rihtfull heir.
1590Spenser F.Q. ii. vii. 19 But thou didst these goods bereave From rightfull owner by unrighteous lott. 1591Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. v. 80 In this haughtie great attempt..to plant the rightfull Heire, I lost my Libertie. 1605Camden Rem. 3 Her vndoubted and rightfull successor. 1667Milton P.L. v. 815 Every Soule in Heav'n Shall..Confess him rightful King. 1724Welton Chr. Faith & Pract. 215 A due obedience to our rightful governors. 1784Cowper Task iii. 749 The legitimate and rightful lord is but a transient guest. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 161 The common people..regarded him as their rightful head. 1855Ibid. xxi. IV. 684 How a rightful and lawful possessor is to be distinguished from a possessor who has the exclusive right by law [etc.].
Comb.1856Lever Martins of Cro' M. 623 A daughter—an illegitimate one—but worthy to be the rightful-born child to the first man in the land.
b. Of inheritance, possessions, etc.
1377Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 291 Selde is any pore riche, but of riȝtful heritage. 1399Gower Conf., To Hen. IV, 59 To cleime and axe his rightful heritage In alle places wher it is withholde. 1483[see heritage n. 2]. 1612Drayton Poly-olb. xii. 359 His..son, By..stepdame's hate, to death was lastly done, To set his rightful Crown upon a wrongful head. 1736Gentl. Mag. VI. 434/1 The rightful undisturbed Possession of it will add vastly to the Power of France. c1792Burns Extempore on Thomson 8 Th' unfading garland.., Thy sair-won, rightful spoil. 1856Hawthorne Eng. Note-bks. (1870) II. 69 This unparalleled Englishman declined taking anything beyond his rightful halfpenny. a1859Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxv. V. 294 An innocent boy, who was kept out of his rightful inheritance by an ambitious kinsman.
†4. Straight. Obs. rare.
1382Wyclif Matt. iii. 3 Make ȝe redy the wayes of the Lord; make ȝe riȝtful the pathes of hym. [Also Heb. xii. 13.]
5. Proper, fitting; correct. Now rare.
a1366Chaucer Rom. Rose 405, I trowe that she Was fair sumtyme,..Whan she was in hir rightful age. 1393Langl. P. Pl. C. iv. 377 Relacion rect is a ryhtful custome. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 240 Of the ryghtfull houris and tymes of ettynge and drynkynge. a1586Sidney Ps. xli. vi, Triumph well may I, whome thou did'st stay In my sound rightfull way. 1591Spenser M. Hubberd 794 Such is the rightfull Courtier in his kinde. 1676Marvell Wks. (Grosart) II. 537 If they have no share by right in the government of themselves, by their certain rightful times of parliaments. 1704Prior Let. to Boileau 111 Danube scarce retains his rightful Course. 1839J. Very Poems 42 (Cent.), The hand and foot that stir not, they shall find Sooner than all the rightful place to go. a1853Robertson Lect. i. (1858) 30 You have surely proceeded in the rightful order.
†6. As adv. Rightfully, properly. Obs.
13..Cursor M. 3742 (Gött.), He has me done ful mekil schame, Rihtful was iacob cald his name. 1422tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 167 The Powere of a prynce that is not ryghtfull demenyt.
Hence † ˈrightfulhood. Obs.—1
c1470[see righteoushood]. |