rightly
adverbattested in dialogue
- United States//ˈɹaɪtli//
In a right manner; correctly, justifiably.
adverb
- 1
In a right manner; correctly, justifiably.
She was quite rightly disappointed in not being promoted.
I don't rightly know what he meant by that remark.
Princes, Heavens antient Sons, Æthereal Thrones, / Demonian Spirits now, from the Element / Each of his reign allotted, rightlier call’d, / Powers of Fire, Air, Water, and Earth beneath, / So may we hold our place and theſe mild ſeats / Without new trouble; […]
As to eleemoſynary corporations, by the dotation the founder and his heirs are of common right the legal viſitors, to ſee that that property is rightly employed, which would otherwiſe have deſcended to the viſitor himſelf: […]
Etymology
From Middle English ryȝtly, rihtliche, from Old English rihtlīċe, from Proto-West Germanic *rehtalīkā, *rehtalīkō, from Proto-Germanic *rehtalīkê, *rehtalīkô (“rightly”), equivalent to right + -ly. Cognate with West Frisian rjochtlik, Dutch rechtelijk, German rechtlich, Swedish rätteligen, Icelandic réttilega.
Forms
- comparative
- rightlier, more rightly
- superlative
- rightliest, most rightly