Univerbation fromall +right. CompareOld Englisheallriht(“all-right, just, exactly”) (fromeall +riht), equivalent toal-(“all”) +right.
alright (notcomparable)
- (sometimes proscribed)Alternative form ofall right;satisfactory;okay; in acceptable order.
- Synonyms:acceptable,adequate,fine;see alsoThesaurus:satisfactory
- 1662 :Cantus, songs and fancies, to three, four, or five parts, both apt for voices and viols : with a brief introduction to musick, as is taught by Thomas Davidson, in the Musick-School of Aberdene by Thomas Davidson, iii. sig. B/1
- Where ever I go, both to and fro
- You have my heartalright.
1922 February,James Joyce, “[Episode 18]”, inUlysses, Paris:Shakespeare and Company, […],→OCLC:[I]f I went by his advices every blessed hat I put on does that suit me yes take that thatsalright the one like a wedding cake standing up miles off my head[…]
1932,Langston Hughes,Goodbye, Christ:You didalright in your day, I reckon—
But that day's gone now.
2000,Mark Z. Danielewski,House of Leaves, page105:"You'realright Johnny," she said in a way that actually made him feelalright. At least for a little while.
alright (notcomparable)
- (sometimes proscribed)Alternative form ofall right.
alright
- (informal)Used to indicate acknowledgement or acceptance;OK.
- (UK, informal)A generic greeting;hello;how are you.
- Synonyms:seeThesaurus:hello
used to indicate acknowledgement or acceptance
—seeOK- Some distinguish betweenalright andall right by usingalright to mean "fine, good, okay" andall right to mean "all correct". Alternatively (or in addition to the previous),Alright may be used as an interjection akin to "OK", whileall right is used in the sense of "unharmed, healthy".
- The contracted term is considered nonstandard byGarner's Modern American Usage andAmerican Heritage Dictionary. Indeed, theOxford English Dictionary notes that although analogous forms exist in words such asalready,altogether andalways (and, indeed,although), "the contracted form is strongly criticized in the vast majority of usage guides, but without cogent reasons".[1] The Oxford Dictionaries also conclude that "alright remains nonstandard"[2] and that it is "still regarded as being unacceptable in formal writing".[3] Other dictionaries and style manuals also consider it incorrect or less correct thanall right.[4]
- ^"all right, adv., adj., int., and n.". OED Online. September 2012. Oxford University Press. 4 October 2012 <[1]>.
- ^"All right", American English.Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press.
- ^"All right", British English.Oxford Dictionaries. Oxford University Press.
- ^"Usage: Which one is correct:alright orall right?" Chicago Manual of Style (2015) "Dictionaries and style manuals still tend to indicate thatalright is less legitimate thanall right."
