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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1968 (SND Vol. VII). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

RICHT, adj., adv., n., v. Also recht; and from n.Eng. dial. reeght (Slk. 1825 Scott Diary (12 Dec.)), reet. Sc. forms and usages of Eng. right, freq. coinciding with U.S. usage. Hence derivs. richtfu (Lnk. 1884 J. Nicholson Willie Waugh 12; Ags. 1921 V. Jacob Bonnie Joann 25; Gen.Sc.), richtly (Bwk. 1859 P. Landreth J. Spindle (1911) 98), richtness (Abd. 1917 D. G. Mitchell Clachan Kirk 117). [rIçt; I. and s.Sc. rɛi(ç)t]

I. adj.

Sc. forms of Eng. right adj.ne.Sc. 1979 Alexander Scott in Joy Hendry Chapman 23-4 (1985) 70:
And Scots sinsyne
hae tholed the pyne
whaur richt-wey roun
means upside-doun.wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 42:
I forgive him, no bother - but Heaven kens it's better Ah
Dinnae be seen tae have ony truck
Wi' the young filla - you're richt - Ags. 1992:
Ye aa richt?

Sc. usages:

1. In one's right mind, sane, balanced, fully conscious (Cai. 1904 E.D.D.). Gen.Sc. Freq. in neg. phr. no(t) richt, (i) mentally unbalanced, simple-minded; abnormal, uncanny. Gen.Sc. Also in Eng. dial. Comb. right-headed, sensible, balanced; (ii) not well, under par.(i)Dmf. 1790 Scotsman (22 Jan.) 8:
He was conseedered no that richt in the heed.Sc. 1808 Jam.:
He's quite richt now; he had come to his senses: No richt, insane.Sc. 1829 Scott Journal (25 April):
A man who had been wrong in the head all his life would scarce become right-headed after death.Abd. 1842 Blackwood's Mag. (March) 300:
There's the poor laddie that's no vera right.Uls. 1886 Folk-Lore IV. 363:
“He is not right” . . . Said of any one who can guess at things that an ordinary mortal would never think.Abd. 1888 Bon-Accord (8 Dec.) 9:
It wis some time afore I got 'im wauken't an' richt kin'.Fif. 1894 A. S. Robertson Provost 27:
She cam hame her lane, unco wae, an' has never been richt sin syne.Dmf. 1915 D. J. Beattie Oor Gate-En' 138:
The hale gate-en' is wonderin', If yer mither's verra richt.m.Lth. 1960s:
Dinna be sae hard on him, he's no right ye ken. Edb. 1985:
Poor lassie, her bairn's no right. wm.Sc. 2000 Liz Lochhead Medea 6:
there there wheesht my wee loves my bairnies
your poor mither she's no right run
keep away from her thon's no your mother
the state she's in em.Sc. 2000 James Robertson The Fanatic 104:
'Ye must not think me harsh, James,' he said. 'My sister isna herself these days, I'm vexed to say.'
'She's dwaibly lookin,' Mitchel agreed.
'If it was but her body,' said Weir. 'But her heid's no richt. I fear for her if I am taken by God afore her.' Sc. 2001 Scotsman 6 Feb 14:
... he said to me: "You get more Jewish every week." That gave me pause. "The man's no richt," I thought. Did he think the O'Donnells were one of the Lost Tribes of Israel?(ii) Edb. 1981:
She's not right yet.Edb. 1992:
I'm comin on, but I'm no right yet.

2. Sober, free from drunkenness, living in a sober well-behaved manner (Sh., ne.Sc., Per., Kcb. 1968). Phr. a' richt, id.Abd. 1873 P. Buchan Inglismill 37:
Aweel! we's hae ae stoup — nae mair the nicht; I promised to gang hame for ance a' richt.m.Lth. 1894 W. G. Stevenson Puddin' 119:
He's a guid worker when he's richt.

II. adv. 1. Used with intensive force = very, exceedingly, with (i) adjs., (ii) advs. Gen.Sc., now arch. in Eng.(i) Ayr. 1796 Burns Auld Lang Syne v.:
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught For auld lang syne.Sc. 1822 Scott F. Nigel iv.:
A cup of right old wine.Mry. 1852 A. Christie Mountain Strains 14:
He ca'd the spree richt frank an free.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xxxviii.:
Aw'm richt sorry't oor ale is not drinkable.Sc. 1881 A. Mackie Scotticisms 12:
He is right ugly.Rxb. 1896 J. C. Dibdin Cleekim Inn iv.:
That I am, sir, and richt welcome ye are.Slg. 1932 W. D. Cocker Poems 20:
Richt douce an' canny was ae brither.Sc. 1935 I. Bennet Fishermen 58:
She felt light, floating-like; it was richt fine.wm.Sc. 1980 Anna Blair The Rowan on the Ridge 14:
"We did weel to hang on here, Jamie, in the bad years. It's been a good hoose and we've been comfortable enough. I'm richt fond of it wi' the burn runnin' by and the Arran hills to look at." wm.Sc. 1985 Liz Lochhead Tartuffe 9:
Come dork, she wis richt weak
Wi' the gowpin' o' her sair heid and seeck
At the thocht o' touchin' a singel bite. Abd. 1996 Sheena Blackhall Wittgenstein's Web 40:
A richt fittin bird tae convoy a puckle ghaists frae the Ither Warld! m.Sc. 1998 Lillias Forbes Turning a Fresh Eye 16:
"Yon's growin, yon's deid,"
Nid-nodded he, richt eident at the darg
He might hae been the maister at the schule
Heid stecht wi lear
His twa feet ticht in God's grat muckle boots.(ii) Edb. 1773 Fergusson Poems (S.T.S.) II. 161:
For I right meikle ferly.Ayr. 1787 Burns Death and Dr. Hornbook ix.:
It spak right howe: “My name is Death”.s.Sc. 1809 T. Donaldson Poems 129:
Witness what was done Reet far away.Mry. 1897 J. MacKinnon Braefoot Sk. 34:
He wis tryin' tae ger's believe 'at he ance richt near catch't a flash [of lightning] in a pig.Wgt. 1912 A.O.W.B. Fablesfrae French 10:
He warselt on his wey richt manfully.Abd. 1916 A. Gibson Under the Cruisie 62:
Richt well he knows That he canna compete against kail and kail-brose.

2. Thoroughly, very much, very well (Abd., Ags. 1968).Abd. 1899 G. Greig Logie o' Buchan v.:
I like Jamie Robertson richt.

3. Adequately, properly, satisfactorily (Sh., n. and em.Sc.(a), Kcb. 1968).Ayr. 1785 Burns To W. Simpson xxix.:
An' stay ae month amang the moons An' see them right.Abd. 1873 P. Buchan Inglismill 45:
An' by my troth I sweer, if I get o'er This dirdum richt, I'll ne'er haud sic a splore.

4. In form richts, to the right, rightwards (Abd. 1966). See -S, suff. Rare.Ags. 1921 V. Jacob Bonnie Joann 9:
A new heid horseman's kist is set Richts o' the lum.

III. Combs. and Phrs.: 1. at the rights, by the nearest way (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis); 2. richt an', used with intensive force = very, completely, extremely (Slk., Uls. 1968). Cf. II. 1.; 3. richt-doun, completely, utterly (Ags. 1968). Also in colloq. Eng. and U.S.; 4. richt eneuch, comfortably off, well provided for (Ork., n. and m.Sc. 1968); 5. right-forward, forthright, straight-forward in manner; 6. richt-like, just, fair, equitable (ne.Sc., Ags. 1968); 7. right now, (1) straightway, immediately. Obs. in Eng. since 17th c. but recently revived from U.S.; (2) just now, lately (Sc. 1710 T. Ruddiman Gl. to Douglas Aeneis); 8. richt oot, outright, straightway, in an unequivocal manner. Gen.Sc.; 9. right roon aboot, of a woman: at the height of pregnancy; 10. the richt gate, in no uncertain manner, thoroughly, properly (ne.Sc. 1968). See Gate, n., 3.; 11. the richt side, (1) of oatcakes: see quot.; (2) in phr. to ken the richt side o a bawbee, -saxpence, -shillin, etc., to be knowing in money matters, to be good at getting the best value for one's money, to be good at bargaining (I. and n.Sc., Slg., Fif., Lnk. 1968); 12. the richt way o't, the true account or story, the genuine version. Gen.Sc.; 13. to be in the richt o' it, to be right or correct (Abd. 1968); 14. wi' richts, by rights, rightly speaking.2. Ayr. 1796 Burns It was a' for our rightfu' King iii.:
He turn'd him right and round about, Upon the Irish shore.Uls. 1896 M. Hamilton Uls. Bog 63:
They were right and quarrelsome in them days.Rxb. 1925 E. C. Smith Mang Howes 20:
A toozy, taaty heed that wad be richt an ruggy ti redd.ne.Sc. 1929 M. W. Simpson Day's End 41:
But aye she turns her richt an' roond.3. Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 94:
Set him clean mad — richt-doun wudd a' thegither.4. Sc. 1893 Stevenson Catriona xiv.:
Ye'll hae strong freens, I'm thinking, ye'll be richt eneuch yet.Abd. 1966:
Oh, aye, his weeda's been left richt eneuch.5. Sc. 1826 Scott Journal (1 March):
The work of an uncompromising right-forward Scot of the old school.6. Bnff. 1866 Gregor D. Bnff. 229:
It's far oot our fae being richt-like, it he sud ha'e gotten a' the siller.7. (1) s.Sc. 1897 E. Hamilton Outlaws xi.:
I can put my hand on the quean right now.8. Nai. 1927 G. Bain Dauvid Main 10:
If ye tell me richt oot wha it was.9. Abd. 1925 Greig and Keith Last Leaves 213:
Eliza goes right roon aboot, But to whom they dinna ken.10. Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb xlix.:
Than she lows't the richt gate aboot the minaister an' a' 's ation.11. (1) ne.Sc. 1881 W. Gregor Folk-Lore 31:
The cakes, when served up, had to be laid on the trencher with what was called “the right side” uppermost. The right side was the side that was uppermost when placed first on the “girdle” to be baked. To have placed cakes with the wrong side uppermost before anyone was accounted an insult.(2) Abd. 1882 W. Alexander My Ain Folk 131:
He'll ken the right side o' a shillin' brawly.Mry. 1887 A. G. Wilken Peter Laing 30:
I kent the richt side o' a saxpence or shillin' as weel's anither, an' wisna easy cheatit.12. Lth. 1895 A. S. Swan Gates of Eden xvii.:
I really cannot speak with any certainty, for nobody seems to know the right way of it.13. Sc. 1705 Dialogue between Country-Man and Landwart School-Master 7:
She was in the Right of it.14. Kcb. 1901 R. Trotter Gall. Gossip 249:
She . . . should 'a been in her bed wi richts.

IV. Derivs.: 1. richten, to correct, improve. Rare or obs. in Eng. exc. dial.; 2. richtify, to put to rights (ne. and m.Sc. 1968), by conflation with rectify; 3. richtleens, rightlins, rightly (Sh., ne.Sc. 1968). See -Lins; 4. richtlys, rightly, properly, correctly (Abd. 1968). See -S, suff.; 5. right(e)ous(ly), by legal right, lawful(ly), legitimate(ly).1. Ags. 1894 J. B. Salmond B. Bowden (1922) 28:
There's neen o's can richten oor grandfathers or grannies.2. Abd. 1932 J. White Moss Road i.:
It's a thing that'll be richtified between you an' Betsy Brander in the hinder end.3. Sh. 1894 J. M. E. Saxby Camsterie Nacket 116:
It need no' be onything o' the sort, woman, if ye ken richtleens what to do.Sh. 1898 Shetland News (26 March):
I niver ken rightlins whaar da steed is ta be.4. Abd. 1914 A. McS. The Bishop 4:
I canna richtlys min' that story.5. Sc. 1741 Cated. Mercury (2 June):
The righteous Owner of these Goods may apply to Alexander Ainslie, Baillie of Dunse, who will restore them.Sc. a.1751 W. Macfarlane Geneal. Coll. (S.H.S.) II. 400:
Which he and William now Earl of Lindsay his Son hath ever since possest wrongously Notwithstanding the Same doth Rightously belong to the Laird of Edzell.

V. n. Sc. form of Eng. right n.m.Sc. 1988 William Neill Making Tracks 50:
Nou that he's bocht the Peel an duin the ruif,
skailt jaggie wire owre aw oor richts o wey,
whit maitter gin the auld clans staun abeich
tinks want their cruives an poachin never pey.Edb. 2004:
He hasnae goat the richt tae walk aw ower ye.