all right

¹

[ awl rahyt, awl rahyt ]

adverb

1. yes; very well; OK:

   All right, I'll go with you.

2. (used as an interrogative or interrogative tag) OK?; do you agree?:

   We'll deal with this problem tomorrow, all right?

3. satisfactorily; acceptably:

   His work is coming along all right.

4. without fail; certainly:

   You'll hear about this, all right!

adjective

1. safe; sound:

   Are you all right?

2. satisfactory; acceptable:

   His performance was all right, but I've seen better.

3. Informal. reliable; good:

   That fellow is all right.

all-right

²

[ awl-rahyt ]

adjective

, Informal.

1. agreeable, acceptable, or commendable:

   an all-right plan.

all right

adjective

1. adequate; satisfactory
2. unharmed; safe
3. all-right slang.
   all-right
   1. acceptable

      an all-right book

   2. reliable

      an all-right guy

sentence substitute

1. very well: used to express assent

adverb

1. satisfactorily; adequately

   the car goes all right

2. without doubt

   he's a bad one, all right

Spelling Note

See alright.

Usage

See alright

Word History and Origins

Origin of all right¹

First recorded in 1100–50; originally an adverbial phrase; compare Middle English al ri(g)ht “indeed, straightway, at once,” late Old English eall riht “just (as)”

Origin of all right²

First recorded in 1815–25

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. (a) bit of all right, British. quite satisfactory (used as an understatement):

   The way he saved that child's life was a bit of all right.

Example Sentences

This waiver and release is intended to waive all rights I may have under Section 1542 of the Civil Code of California, as well as any similar law of any other state or territory, that I may have.

From Outside Online

He was an all-right fellow, and if there's been any rusty work done down there in the breaks, this shifty-eyed mark done it.

From Project Gutenberg

There are hundreds of strange beliefs and spiritual systems, each claiming to be all-powerful, all-right.

From Project Gutenberg

All-right; I weel mak' you run de buffalo, shoot dose elk, trap de castor, an you shall shake de han' wid de grizzly bear.

From Project Gutenberg

But, all the same, wherever that Sage-Brush Hen was, there was dead sure to be an all-right cyclone.

From Project Gutenberg

I've seen 'all-right' men like you hitting the hurry trail for the boneyard before now.

From Project Gutenberg