all right
American Heritage Dictionary:
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all right
adj.
- In proper or satisfactory operational or working order: checked to see if the tires were all right.
- Acceptable; agreeable: Delaying the repair is all right by me.
- all-right (ôl'rīt') Informal. Satisfactory; good: an all-right fellow; an all-right movie.
- Correct: Your answers are all right.
- Average; mediocre: The performance was just all right, not remarkable.
- Uninjured; safe: The passengers were shaken up but are all right.
- Fairly healthy; well: I am feeling all right again.
- In a satisfactory way; adequately: I held up all right under pressure.
- Very well; yes. Used as a reply to a question or to introduce a declaration: All right, I'll go.
- Without a doubt: It's cold, all right.
USAGE NOTE Despite the appearance of the form alright in works of such well-known writers as Langston Hughes and James Joyce, the single word spelling has never been accepted as standard. This is peculiar, since similar fusions such as already and altogether have never raised any objections. The difference may lie in the fact that already and altogether became single words back in the Middle Ages, whereas alright has only been around for a little more than a century and was called out by language critics as a misspelling. Consequently, one who uses alright, especially in formal writing, runs the risk that readers may view it as an error or as the willful breaking of convention.
Fowler's Modern English Usage:
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all right
is still the preferred way of writing this common expression. The alternative form alright, despite its much higher frequency, is not fully accepted, although there are various arguments in its favour, especially: (1) the need to distinguish it from the use in which all is a pronoun and not an adverb, as in He finished the crossword and got it all right, (2) the analogy of altogether, already, etc., which similarly need to be distinguished from two-word forms having other meanings, and (3) its pronunciation as a single word. None the less, all right should be used for the time being, not alright. Examples: (all right)
One advantage of the permissive society is that it's all right to live together before marriage—Woman's Own, 1971
It's all right for you...You won't have to do the post-mortem with these guys—Len Deighton, 1974
'Oh, all right', she said, 'go and be damned.'—Graham Greene, 1980
(alright) They've been bloody inscrutable alright—P. Cave, 1979
You'll be alright, love—Chinua Achebe, 1987
If you've got the ears to know what sounds good you're going to be pretty much alright—Guitarist, 1992.
| all, alien, alibi | |
| all that, all together, altogether, all told |
Roget's Thesaurus:
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all right
adjective
- Of moderately good quality but less than excellent: acceptable, adequate, average, common, decent, fair, fairish, goodish, moderate, passable, respectable, satisfactory, sufficient, tolerable. Informal OK, tidy. See good/bad.
adverb
- It is so; as you say or ask: absolutely, agreed, assuredly, aye, gladly, indubitably, roger, undoubtedly, unquestionably, willingly, yea, yes. Informal OK, uh-huh, yeah, yep. Slang right on. See affirm/deny/argue.
American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms:
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all right
1.
Completely correct, as in You have a perfect score--your answers are all right. (It could just as well be put as "all your answers are right.")
2.
In proper or working order, in a satisfactory way, as in The engine is running all right now. [Late 1800s] Also see
turn out all right.
3.
In good health, as in John had the flu, but he's all right now. [Early 1900s]
4.
Not injured, safe, as in It was just a minor accident and everyone is all right. [Early 1900s]
5.
Very well, yes, as in Do you want to leave now?--All right, or All right, we'll stay home. [First half of 1800s] Also see
all right with you.
6.
Certainly, without a doubt, as in It's late all right, but it will probably come today. [Mid-1800s]
7.
Hurrah! Good for you, as in All right! your team has done it again! [Slang; mid-1900s]
8.
Also,
all-right. Good, satisfactory. For example, This restaurant is all right, or Harry is an all-right guy. [Slang; mid-1900s]
Antonyms by Answers.com:
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all right
adj
Definition: correct; excellent
Antonyms: wrong
adj
Definition: in good condition or health
Antonyms: sick, unhealthy
adj
Definition: satisfactory
Antonyms: unsatisfactory
adv
Definition: satisfactorily
Antonyms: unsatisfactorily
adv
Definition: yes
Antonyms: no
Sign Language Videos:
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all right
as in: alright
sign description: The pinky side of the right open hand brushes twice up the palm of the open left open hand.
sign description: The pinky side of the right open hand brushes twice up the palm of the open left open hand.
Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang:
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all-right
adjective attrib
adjective attrib
Used to indicate approval. (1953 —) .
M. Procter He seemed an all-right bloke to me (1962).
[From the phrase all right satisfactory.]
adjective attrib
Used to indicate approval. (1953 —) .
M. Procter He seemed an all-right bloke to me (1962).
[From the phrase all right satisfactory.]
| all-overs, all-overish, all-firedly | |
| alley, alley cat, alligator |
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Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Roget's Thesaurus
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary Copyright © 1995 byHoughton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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