"good, proper, excellent," 1934, jazz slang, from American English dialectal pronunciation of right (adj.).
"Bessie, you're reet clipt and heeled for sure," responded her companion.
"I mak' no doubt as you're reet, Dick," said Matthew, meekly.
Now, if 'night' is 'nicht,' why is 'right' 'reet'—either 'the noo' or at any other time?
I ha' na getten no reet to no soart o' pleasure, I dare say.
What mowtn't be reet fur other lasses to do, is reet enow fur me.
And I never knowed her to be wrong in aught else, so I'm ready to give in as she was reet about that.
"That's just reet," said Pinder, when his wife bote hur tung i' two!
I've found a hum for 'e, and a reet good 'un, an' ye'r to go to-night.
That's reet; naa then, doff that coite, and hev a soup o' tay.
I've been at her a goodish bit to-day, an' I think I've gotten her put all reet at last.'
adjective
(also reet and compleat) Good; proper; excellent; right: With her good looks, she was still ''reet'' with me/ looking extremely reet and compleat (1930s+ Jazz musicians)
Related Terms