rightlyadv.
/ˈrʌɪtli/, U.S. /ˈraɪtli/ I. Senses relating to truth, correctness, or appropriateness.
1. In accordance with justice or what is morally right; with rectitude or propriety; virtuously. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > rightness or justice > [adverb]
rightlyeOE
reasonablya1325
rightfullyc1325
leefullyc1340
justlyc1384
uprightly1549
conscionably1552
justicely1865
eOE (Kentish) Will of Æðelnoð & Gænburg (Sawyer 1500) in A. J. Robertson Anglo-Saxon Charters (1956) 4 He..ðæt wiorð gedæle fore hiora gastas suæ ælmeslice & suæ rehtlice suæ he him seolfa..geleornie.
OE Blickling Homilies 75 Þæt is þonne, þæt we sceolan god weorc wyricean, & rihtlice libban.
OE Ælfric Catholic Homilies: 2nd Ser. (Cambr. Gg.3.28) xix. 184 Ge manna bearn, demað rihtlice.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1083 Ða munecas..beadon hine þet he sceolde healdan hi rihtlice.
c1175 ( Ælfric Homily (Bodl. 343) in S. Irvine Old Eng. Homilies (1993) 69 Þis is þæt edlean þare rihtwisæ monnæ þe rihtlice leofedon.
a1200 MS Trin. Cambr. in R. Morris Old Eng. Homilies (1873) 2nd Ser. 9 (MED) Ure lif we ledeð richtliche togenes ure louerd ihesu crist gif we forbereð al þat þat him is unqueme.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Micah ii. 7 Wher my wordis ben not goode with hym that riȝtli [L. recte] goth?
a1400 (c1303) R. Mannyng Handlyng Synne (Harl.) 1433 (MED) Þo men þat loue to do ryghtly Þey shal þasse þere sauely Into þat blesful cuntre.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Fairf. 14) 21480 (MED) Þe lauedi..ho bad vs riȝtli dome to giue.
c1520 M. Nisbet New Test. in Scots (1905) III. Acts xviii. 14 Gif thar war ony wickit thing, outhir euile trespas, ye Jewis, richtlie I suld suffir you.
1567 R. Sempill in J. Cranstoun Satirical Poems Reformation (1891) I. 55 Godly men..Quha..can Judge the people rude, And rychtly reule ouer thame.
1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage iii. iv. 251 Euery one whosoeuer liueth rightly..shall vndoubtedly obtaine Diuine fauour.
1655 in J. Stuart Extracts Council Reg. Aberdeen (1872) II. 150 Aboue the..authoritie of anie privat minister or sessioun, albeit it wer never so full and richtlie constitut.
1711 E. Ward Vulgus Britannicus (ed. 3) i. 24 To rightly Judge without the Laws, The Person, or his doubtful Cause.
1741 in Colonial Rec. Pennsylvania (1851) IV. 488 Until such prohibited Goods are rightly and lawfully proceeded against.
1829 I. D'Israeli Let. 28 Jan. in Croker Papers (1884) II. xiv. 40 Many papers..which rightly should have been deposited at the State-paper Office.
1873 J. A. Symonds Stud. Greek Poets vii. 227 Make not fine speeches, but be rightly minded!
1874 J. L. Motley Life John of Barneveld II. xix. 283 His moral constitution made him incapable of..acting rightly on any vital subject.
1923 Los Angeles Times 28 Dec. ii. 6/4 (advt.) Be sure to start the year rightly—especially food-wise.
1972 Times 7 Sept. 9 Our present ills, Mr Johnson is sure, are the nemesis that hubris..inevitably brings. He is even bold enough to back-cast how things would have gone had we acted rightly.
1987 D. Rowe Beyond Fear vii. 276 He had acted rightly and..he had no reason to feel ashamed.
2. Properly; in an adequate or suitable manner; appropriately, well.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > dueness or propriety > [adverb]
rightlyeOE
arightc970
rightOE
properly?c1225
goodc1275
rightfully1340
truly1340
tallya1375
featlya1400
rekenlyc1400
communablya1425
fitc1440
accordantlyc1443
accordinglyc1443
justilyc1450
seemingly1483
fitlyc1550
conveniently1569
arightly1588
legitimately1593
fittinglya1643
legitimously1657
honest-like1807
eOE tr. Bede Eccl. Hist. (Tanner) iv. ii. 260 Þa he Ceddan biscop mid wordum þreade, þæt he rihtlice gehalgad ne wære [L. non fuisse rite consecratum].
OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Mark vii. 35 Statim..solutum est uinculum linguae eius et loquebatur recte : sona..unbunden wæs gebend tungæs his & spreccend wæs rehtlice.
OE Vercelli Homilies (1992) iii. 79 Þæt fæsten, se ðe hit rihtlice begæð, he bið to Gode geþydd.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 105 Al þet mon wilneð mare..þen ha mei rihtliche [?c1225 Cleo. gnedeliche] leade þet lif bi..al is ȝisceunge.
a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) 3 Esdras ii. 20 That that is do aboute the temple to han riȝtli wee han demyd to not despisen that same thing.
a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) l. 1104 (MED) Na man may serve rightly Twa lordes to-gedir þat er contrary.
a1450 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (Caius 336/725) (1970) 3 (MED) First..I ȝelde þankyngis to god..wiþouten whom may no bigynnynge riȝtly be groundid.
c1520 M. Nisbet New Test. in Scots (1901) I. Mark vii. 35 And anon..the band of his tung was lowset, and he spak richtly.
a1586 Sir P. Sidney tr. Psalms (1963) ii. xii. 5 They that in him theire only trust doe rest, O, they bee rightly blest.
1631 W. Gouge Gods Three Arrowes iv. §12. 390 This is rightly and truly to be content with things present.
a1653 H. Binning Serm. (1845) 53 If thy soul rightly discover God, it cannot but abase thee.
1654 H. Vaughan Silex Scintillans (1900) Pref. 13 Nothing takes (as they rightly phrase it) like a Romance.
1742 W. Law Appeal to All that Doubt i. 56 Our Piety may be rightly directed, our Faith and Prayer have their proper Objects.
1768 B. Franklin Let. 28 Feb. in Papers (1972) XV. 62 The Philadelphia Grate..is a very good Thing, if you could get one that is rightly made.
a1784 J. Bowdler Poems & Ess. (1786) I. 135 Suppressing sentiments on which our enjoyments must depend, and which (rightly directed) may prove the means of happiness here and hereafter.
1809 A. Smith Let. in New Eng. Q. (1938) 11 615 I suppose it is thought I am rather too plain hearted to be rightly qualified for a ‘store keeper’.
1860 Queen Victoria Highland Jrnls. Sept. (1980) i. 94 I spoke to him and to Grant..about not having waiting on us, as they ought to have done, at dinner..; and Brown answered he was afraid he should not do it rightly.
1868 Silent Hour i. 4 Speech is, after all, not the silvern but the golden thing, when rightly used.
1902 E. Banks Autobiogr. Newspaper Girl 161 Your Boston beans done in an earthen pot with the middle-piece pork just rightly browned.
1988 G. Sayer Jack xiv. 160 He had no doubt that, if rightly used, England's suffering could be for her ultimate good.
2005 Church Times 12 Aug. 11/5 The Article certainly states that those ordained according to the rites of the Church of England are rightly ordained.
3.
a. In accordance with truth or fact; correctly, without error; exactly, accurately.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > freedom from error, correctness > exactness, accuracy, precision > [adverb]
rightlyeOE
righteOE
evenOE
evenlya1225
redlyc1275
justicelya1375
justilya1375
justlya1375
redilya1375
trulya1375
properlya1382
precisec1392
preciselyc1392
truec1392
straitlya1395
leala1400
arightc1405
by linec1420
justlyc1425
featlya1450
rule-righta1450
to the letter?1495
exquisitely1526
evenliklya1530
very1530
absolutely1538
jump1539
just1568
accurately1581
punctually1581
jumplya1586
arights1596
just so1601
plumb1601
compassly1606
nicelya1616
squarely1626
justa1631
adequately1632
mathematicallya1638
critically1655
exquisitively1660
just1665
pointedly1667
faithfully1690
correctlya1704
jus1801
jest1815
jes1851
neat1875
cleanly1883
on the nose1883
smack-dab1892
spot on1920
forensically1974
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > truthfulness, veracity > [adverb] > so as to match truth, exactly
rightlyeOE
rightOE
faithfullyc1425
preciselya1513
justlya1538
verbatim1566
strictly1602
exactly1662
correctlya1704
prezactly1835
sensu stricto1849
perzactly1850
'zackly1886
eOE King Ælfred tr. Gregory Pastoral Care (Hatton) (1871) xxi. 157 Suiðe ryhtlice hit wæs awriten æfter ðæm nitenum ðæt ða heargas wæron atiefrede.
OE (Northumbrian) Lindisf. Gospels: Luke x. 28 Dixitque illi, recte respondisti, hoc fac et uiues : & cuoeð him rehtlice ðu geondsuaredes ðis do þætte ðu gelifige.
OE Byrhtferð Enchiridion (Ashm.) (1995) i. i. 4 Se feorða dæl þæs dæges oððe oðra þinga þe man mæg rihtlice todælan on feower.
lOE Anglo-Saxon Chron. (Laud) anno 1107 Ðis wæs rihtlice ymbe vii gear þæs þe se cyng Henri cynedomes on feng.
c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Luke xx. 21 Maistir, we witen, that thou seist and techist riȝtly.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Trin. Cambr.) 7122 (MED) At þe feest þere he was stad A redeles vnto him he bad; he het men to ȝyue hem mede If þei coude it riȝtly rede.
a1475 Sidrak & Bokkus (Lansd.) (Ph.D. diss., Univ. of Washington) (1965) 3796 (MED) Bestis and foules and fisshes alle Han no soule rightly to calle.
c1475 Antichrist & Disciples in J. H. Todd Three Treat. J. Wycklyffe (1851) p. cxvi (MED) It is not riȝtly understonden what is to be coveited or desired or what is to be fled.
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxix. 203 The generall skill to iudge..most thinges rightly.
1611 Bible (King James) Gen. xxvii. 36 Is not he rightly named Iacob? View more context for this quotation
1675 R. Baxter Catholick Theol. ii. x. 213 The determining which of you doth rightliest expound the Scripture is not my business.
1712 J. Addison Spectator No. 265. ¶1 One of the Fathers, if I am rightly informed, has defined a Woman, [etc.].
1754 J. Edwards Careful Enq. Freedom of Will i. ii. 12 Whether I have been so happy as rightly to explain the Thing wherein consists the Strength of Motives, or not.
1814 W. Scott Waverley I. xviii. 264 Waverley looked around for Evan Dhu and his attendants, who, he rightly judged, would be at no great distance. View more context for this quotation
1858 T. Carlyle Hist. Friedrich II of Prussia II. x. iii. 616 He cannot see rightly, and shoots always with help of an opera-glass.
1875 E. A. Freeman in W. R. W. Stephens Life & Lett. E. A. Freeman (1895) II. 93 If I read your question rightly.
1949 ‘G. Orwell’ Nineteen Eighty-four ii. ix. 218 Supposing that the mechanics of the process have been rightly described, what is the motive for this..effort to freeze history at a particular moment of time?
1991 Parl. Hist. 10 164 He rightly underlined the importance of the five Junto lords.
2005 W. Deverell April Fool xxxi. 411 If Flynn's jumpy reaction is read rightly, he's a redcoat of high rank, probably inspector.
b. With good reason; justifiably.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > understanding > reason, faculty of reasoning > [adverb]
with reasonc1300
skilfullyc1325
skillwiselya1340
skilfula1400
reasonablyc1400
of reason1405
in reasona1450
upon reasonc1450
reasonfully1532
justlya1538
rationablya1540
reasonally1567
reasonable1573
as soon (as)1579
rationally1610
to reason1613
rational1662
correctlya1704
rightly1703
upon the weight of1710
legitimately1794
well-foundedly?1841
tarblish1842
sanely1884
1703 D. Defoe True Coll. of Writings Pref. sig. A3v This Piratical Printer, as such are very rightly called, who unjustly print other Mens Copies.
1788 J. Madison in Federalist II. xliv. 71 They very rightly infer, therefore, that some thorough reform is wanting, which will banish speculations on public measures.
1801 Monthly Mag. 12 299 Why should this spell (as school children say, and, I think, rightly, for mode of spelling) be authorized?
1883 Manch. Guard. 3 Nov. 7/3 We rightly judge of people by the company they keep.
1906 Punch 2 Feb. 161/1 The Italians are rightly proud of their [spa] muds.
1963 G. Greene Under Garden in Coll. Stories (1972) 216 Why aren't they afraid of fish then, you may rightly ask?
1991 J. Spottiswoode Undertaken with Love (BNC) 15 The most delicious cuisine for which her country was rightly famous.
4. † b. In a full, true, or real sense. Obsolete. rare.
a. Chiefly British regional. Usually in negative constructions: fully, completely; absolutely, positively. Esp. in I don't rightly know.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > expressions of doubt [phrase]
don't (you) be too (also so) sure1731
I don't rightly know1741
not necessarily1886
where do we go from here?1917
your guess is as good as mine1939
1741 W. Ellis Mod. Husbandman May ii. 27 If Wheat looks yellowish in [May], and continues so throughout the whole, it will never rightly recover that Summer.
1758 S. Smythies Brothers I. ii. vii. 231 ‘Who is she?’ cried the Baronet.—‘Nay, Sir, I don't rightly know.’
1823 J. Galt Entail II. xiii. 120 He certainly fell intil a sore melancholic at that time; and it's my conceit he has ne'er rightly got the better o't.
1861 T. Hughes Tom Brown at Oxf. III. iii. 48 I don't rightly know, sir.
1880 W. H. Patterson Gloss. Words Antrim & Down 83 He got rightly frightened.
1890 ‘A. Clare’ For Love of Lass I. 49 Ah canna rightlys mak' oot.
a1911 D. G. Phillips Susan Lenox (1917) II. iv. 96 They wouldn't let me see her except where the light was so poor that I couldn't rightly swear it was her.
1954 R. P. Bissell High Water viii. 93 I spose so, but I don't rightly know.
1993 F. Collymore Some People are meant to live Alone 50 And then one day she left him..or he left her..I'm not rightly sure which.
2003 F. Shaw Sweetest Thing 61 There was a smell coming off the water below I couldn't rightly place and didn't rightly want to.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > truthfulness, veracity > [adverb]
without(en, but leasec888
soothfastlya890
soothfasta1300
aefauldly1472
truthly1490
gospelly1596
sincerely1597
honest1654
sacredly1706
rightly1786
veraciously1807
truthfully1828
veridically1832
unfallaciously1852
honest-like1899
salva veritate1930
1786 R. Burns Poems 204 I've begun to scrawl, but whether In rhyme, or prose..Or some hotch-potch that's rightly neither, Let time mak proof.
II. Senses relating to direction or orientation.† 5. Directly; in a straight line. Also: immediately, straightaway. Obsolete.† 6. At right angles; so as to form a right angle. Cf. right-angular adv. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > [adverb] > straight or due
rightOE
rightlyOE
evenc1300
plata1450
plain1509
straight1512
directly1513
fulla1529
flat1531
due?1574
dead1800
slap1829
plunk1866
squarely1883
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > a straight course > [adverb]
forth847
righteOE
forthrighta1000
rightlyOE
anonOE
evenc1300
even-forthc1300
straight13..
streck13..
gainc1330
streckly1340
right fortha1382
straightly1395
evenly?c1400
outrightc1400
straightway1461
endlong1470
fair1490
directly1513
fulla1529
forth on1529
straightforth1530
directedly1539
aright?a1560
direct1568
endways1575
point-blank1607
progressivelya1716
unswervingly1805
straightforward1809
undeviatingly1812
undeviously1813
slap1829
arrow-straight1831
OE St. Mary of Egypt (Julius) (2002) 94 Ða axode ic þone.., hwilc se wæg wære þe to Iordane þære ea rihtlicost gelædde.
c1230 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Corpus Cambr.) (1962) 193 Scandle is..þing swa iseid oðer idon þet me mei rihtliche turnen hit to uuele.
a1375 (c1350) William of Palerne (1867) 232 Riȝtly þenne þemperour wendes him euene tille.
?a1450 tr. Macer Herbal (Stockh.) (1949) 187 (MED) Aloe mundifieþ þe stomak..in purging and dryuing out riȝtly by þe wombe þe noious humourz.
1548 T. Cooper Bibliotheca Eliotæ (rev. ed.) Directè,..an aduerbe signifyinge rightly or streightly.
1559 W. Cuningham Cosmogr. Glasse 25 The zodiack goeth ouerthwarte them, and not rightly as th' equinoctiall and the right Horizont doth.
1597 W. Shakespeare Richard II ii. ii. 18 Like perspectiues, which rightly gazde vpon Shew nothing but confusion; eyde awry, Distinguish forme. View more context for this quotation
1635 J. Swan Speculum Mundi vii. §3. 333 The Optick Masters confesse and prove, that the forms of the starres are comprehended of the sight reflectly, and not rightly.
1702 V. Mandey tr. J. J. Hainlin Synopsis Mathematica: Astron. i. x. 293 Some Arches of the Ecliptic ascend Rightly, others Obliquely.
1796 C. Hutton Math. & Philos. Dict. (new ed.) I. 368/2 In which case the sign is said to descend rightly..and sometimes..obliquely.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > position at right angles to something > [adverb]
straightly1395
squarewise1546
directly1559
orthogonally?a1560
perpendicularly1570
rightly1594
square1631
rectangularly1646
right-angular1676
normally1869
squarely1873
1594 T. Blundeville Exercises iii. i. f. 128 There be also certaine Sphericall..Angles..which doe crosse one another in some point, eyther rightly or obliquely: if rightly, then they make right Angles.
Compounds
Forming adjectives in combination with past participles, as (sense 1) rightly disposed, rightly guided, etc.; (sense 3a) rightly aimed, rightly named, etc.
ΚΠ
1601 J. Deacon & J. Walker Dialogicall Disc. Spirits & Diuels vi. 193 Yet for all that, his verie death it selfe, was the true beginning of a rightly compounded state.
1617 T. Taylor Davids Learning vi. 194 Christ in his prayer teacheth vs to..pray acceptably; and that includeth sundry child-like affections, all concurring in a rightly disposed person to pray, as first, Reuerence and feare.
1661 A. Burgess Expository Comment 1st Chap. 2 Cor. lxxxv. 385 Let us enquire first into the constituent or ingredient qualities, of a rightly guided conscience.
a1716 R. South Serm. Several Occasions (1744) VIII. 99 He sends them into the world with a well-temper'd, and rightly-disposed body.
a1774 A. Tucker Light of Nature Pursued (1777) III. iv. 26 A rightly aimed intention will prove a guidance both in the manner and measure of our religious duties.
1857 W. M. Thackeray Let. in J. Brown Lett. (1912) 410 Yes, Doctor, the Oxford election cost £850. It was a cowardly robbery of a poor, innocent, rightly-served man.
1857 H. R. Reynolds in S. F. R. Best & H. R. Vaizey Life & Lett. H. R. Reynolds (1898) vi. 140 I was..prepared to accept the decision..as a rightly guided one.
1863 W. C. Baldwin Afr. Hunting 177 This rightly-named thirst land.
1876 ‘M. Twain’ Tom Sawyer xxv There comes a time in every rightly-constructed boy's life when he has a raging desire to go somewhere and dig for hidden treasure.
1909 H. James Ambassadors (new ed.) I. Pref. p. ix The dramatist always, by the very law of his genius, believes..in a possible right issue from the rightly-conceived tight place.
1949 H. A. R. Gibb Mohammedanism viii. 130 The transformation of the Second Advent of Christ into a doctrine of the coming of the Mahdi, the ‘rightly-guided one’ who will effect the final victory of Islam.
2001 Big Issue 27 Dec. 28/1 It was a rightly-praised winner—solidly excellent but hardly a literary firecracker.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2010; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.eOE