A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

revile --- c.1303, from O.Fr. reviler "consider vile, despise," from re-, intensive prefix, + vil (see vile).

revise --- 1567, "to look at again," from M.Fr. reviser, from L. revisere "look at again, visit again," frequentative of revidere (pp. revisus), from re- "again" + videre "to see" (see vision). Meaning "to look over again with intent to improve or amend" is recorded from 1596. The Revised Version of the Bible was done 1870-84; so called because it was a revision of the 1611 ("King James") translation, also known as the Authorized Version. Revision (1611) is from Fr. revision, from L.L. revisionem (nom. revisio) "a seeing again," from L. revisus, pp. of revidere. Revisionism is attested from 1903; originally in Marxist jargon; revisionist in the historical sense is from 1934, originally with ref. to the causes of World War I.

revisit --- 1525, from Fr. revisiter, from re- + visiter "to visit."

revitalize --- 1858, from re- "back, again" + vitalize (see vital).

revive --- 1432, from M.Fr. revivre (10c.), from L. revivere "to live again," from re- "again" + vivere "to live" (see vital). Revival "the bringing of an old play back to the stage" is from 1664; first used in a religious sense by Cotton Mather, 1702; revivalist is first attested 1820.

revocation --- c.1410, from L. revocationem (nom. revocatio) "a calling back, recalling," noun of action from revocare (see revoke).

revoke --- c.1374, from O.Fr. revoquer, from L. revocare "rescind, call back," from re- "back" + vocare "to call," related to vox (gen. vocis) "voice, sound, tone, call" (see voice).

revolt --- 1548, from M.Fr. revolter, from It. rivoltare "to overthrow, overturn," from V.L. *revolvitare "to overturn, overthrow," frequentative of L. revolvere (pp. revolutus) "turn, roll back" (see revolve). The noun is from 1560. Revolting is 1593, originally subjective; objective sense of "repulsive" is first recorded 1806.

revolution --- 1390, originally of celestial bodies, from O.Fr. revolution, from L.L. revolutionem (nom. revolutio) "a revolving," from L. revolutus, pp. of revolvere "turn, roll back" (see revolve). General sense of "instance of great change in affairs" is recorded from c.1450. Political meaning first recorded 1600, derived from French, and was especially applied to the expulsion of the Stuart dynasty under James II in 1688 and transfer of sovereignty to William and Mary. Revolutionary as a noun is first attested 1850, from the adjective. Revolutionize "to change a thing completely and fundamentally" is first recorded 1799.

revolve --- 1387, from L. revolvere "turn, roll back," from re- "back, again" + volvere "to roll" (see vulva). Meaning "travel around a central point" first recorded 1667. Revolver as a type of pistol is from 1835, so called by U.S. inventor Samuel Colt (1814-62).

revue --- 1872, "show presenting a review of current events," from Fr. revue, from M.Fr., lit. "survey" (see review).

revulsion --- 1541, as a medical term, from L. revulsionem (nom. revulsio) "act of pulling away," from revulsus, pp. of revellere "to pull away," from re- "away" + vellere "to tear, pull." The meaning "sudden reaction of disgust" is first attested 1816.

reward (n.) --- c.1300, "a regarding, heeding, observation," from O.N.Fr. reward, variant of O.Fr. reguard (see regard). Meaning "repayment for some service" is from c.1350. The verb is attested from c.1315, from O.N.Fr. rewarder, variant of O.Fr. regarder "regard, watch over," from re-, intensive prefix, + garder "look, heed, watch" (see guard). Originally any form of requital.

rewind (v.) --- 1717, from re- "back, again" + wind (v.). Noun meaning "mechanism for rewinding film or tape" is recorded from 1938.

reword --- to express in other words, 1602, from re- "back, again" + word (v.).

rewrite --- to write again, 1567, from re- "back, again" + write (q.v.). Journalistic rewrite man is recorded from 1901.

rex --- 1617, from L. rex (gen. regis) "a king," related to regere "to keep straight, guide, lead, rule," from PIE base *reg- "to rule, to lead straight, to put right" (cf. Skt. raj- "king;" O.Ir. ri, gen. rig "king;" see regal).

reynard --- quasi-proper name for a fox, c.1300, from O.Fr. Renart, name of the fox in Roman de Renart, from O.H.G. personal name Reginhart, lit. "counsel-brave." The first element is related to reckon, the second to hard.

rh- --- consonantal digraph used in L. (and thus in Eng. words from L.) to represent Gk. initial aspirated -r-.

Rh factor --- 1942, from rh(esus) (q.v.); so called because the blood group, and its effects, were discovered in the blood of rhesus monkeys (1941).

rhabdomancy --- 1646, "use of divining rod" (especially to discover ores or underground water), from Gk. rhabdos "rod, twig, stick" + manteia "divination, oracle." Gk. rhabdos is from PIE *werbh- (cf. Lith. virbas "twig, branch, scion, rod," L. verbena "leaves and branches of laurel"), from base *werb- "to turn, bend" (see warp).

Rhadamanthus --- 1582, from L., from Gk. Rhadamanthos, one of the judges of the lower world (son of Zeus and Europa); used allusively of inflexible judges.

Rhaetian --- 1600, from L. Rhætia, ancient name of a district in the Alps and Roman province between the Rhine, Danube, and Po. Hence Rhæto-Romanic (1867), language of the Tyrol and southern Switzerland.

rhapsody --- 1542, "epic poem," from M.Fr. rhapsodie, from L. rhapsodia, from Gk. rhapsoidia "verse composition," from rhapsodios "reciter of epic poems," from rhaptein "to stitch" (see wrap) + oide "song." Meaning "exalted enthusiastic feeling or expression" is from 1639. Meaning "sprightly musical composition" is first recorded 1850s.

rhea --- S.Amer. ostrich, 1801, Mod.L. genus name, from Gk. Rhea, titaness, mother of Zeus, a name of unknown origin.

Rhemish --- "of or pertaining to Rheims (earlier Eng. Rhemes), city in n.e. France, 1589; specifically in ref. to an English translation of the N.T. by Roman Catholics at the English college there, published 1582.

Rhenish

of or belonging to the Rhine"" (esp. of wine), 1375, from Anglo-Fr. reneis (13c.), from M.L. Rhenensis, from Rhenus (see Rhine)."

rheostat --- 1843, coined by English physicist Sir Charles Wheatstone (1802-75) from Gk. rheos "a flowing, stream" (from PIE base *sreu-, see rheum) + -stat "regulating device."

rhesus --- 1827, from Mod.L. genus name of a type of E. Indian monkey (1799), given by Fr. naturalist Jean-Baptiste Audebert (1759-1800), said to be an arbitrary use of L. Rhesus, name of a legendary prince of Thrace, from Gk. Rhesos.

rhetoric --- c.1300, from O.Fr. rethorique, from L. rhetorice, from Gk. rhetorike techne "art of an orator," from rhetor (gen. rhetoros) "orator," related to rhema "word," lit. "that which is spoken," from PIE *wre-tor-, from base *were- "to speak" (cf. O.E. word, L. verbum, Gk. eirein "to say;" see verb). Rhetorical "eloquent" is from 1476; rhetorical question first attested 1843.

rheum --- 1377, from O.Fr. reume (13c.), from L. rheuma, from Gk. rheuma "stream, current, a flowing," from rhein "to flow," from PIE base *sreu- "to flow" (cf. Skt. sravati "flows," srotah "stream;" Avestan thraotah- "stream, river," O.Pers. rauta "river;" Gk. rheos "a flowing, stream;" O.Ir. sruaim, Ir. sruth "stream, river;" Welsh ffrwd "stream;" O.N. straumr, O.E. stream, O.H.G. strom (second element in maelstrom); Lett. strauma "stream, river;" Lith. sraveti "to trickle, ooze;" O.C.S. struja "river," o-strovu "island," lit. "that which is surrounded by a river;" Pol. strumyk "brook").

rheumatic --- 1398, from O.Fr. reumatique, from L. rheumaticus "troubled with rheum," from Gk. rheumatikos, from rheuma (see rheum). Rheumatism is attested from 1601.

Rhine --- principal river in western Germany, from Ger. Rhein, from M.H.G. Rin, ult. from Gaulish Renos (cf. L. Rhenus), lit. "that which flows," from PIE base *reie- "to move, flow, run" (cf. Gk. rhein "to flow," L. rivus "stream," O.E. rinnan, O.N. rinna "to run," Du. ril "running stream"). Fr. rhin, the spelling with -h- is from infl. of Gk. form of the name, Rhenos.

rhinestone --- 1888, a loan-translation of Fr. caillou du Rhin "Rhine pebble," so called because they were made near Strasburg, on the River Rhine (q.v.).

rhino --- slang for "cash," 1688, of unknown origin.

rhinoceros --- c.1300, from L. rhinoceros, from Gk. rhinokeros, from rhinos "nose" (a word of unknown origin) + keras "horn." Shortened form rhino is first attested 1884.

rhinoplasty --- 1842, earlier rhinoplastic (1823), from comb. form of Gk. rhinos "nose" + -plastia, from plastos "molded, formed" (see plastic).

rhizome --- 1845, from Gk. rhizoma "mass of tree roots," from rhizoun "cause to strike root," from rhiza "root," probably from PIE *wrad- "branch, root" (cf. L. radix "root," O.N. rot "root," O.E. wyrt "plant, herb;" see radish).

Rhode Island --- U.S. state, the region is traditionally said to have been named by It. explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano when he passed through in 1524, based on an imagined similarity between modern Block Island and the Greek Isle of Rhodes. More likely from Roodt Eylandt, the name Du. explorer Adriaen Block gave to Block Island c.1614, lit. "red island," so called for the color of its soil. Under this theory, the name was altered by 17c. Eng. settlers by infl. of the Gk. island name, and then extended to the mainland part of the colony. Block Island later (by 1685) was renamed for the Du. explorer.

Rhodes scholar --- holder of any of the scholarships founded at Oxford in 1902 by British financier and imperialist Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902), for whom the former African nation of Rhodesia also was named.

rhododendron --- 1601, from L. rhododendron, from Gk. rhododendron, lit. "rose-tree," from rhodon "rose" (see rose) + dendron "tree."

rhombus --- 1567, from L.L. rhombus, from Gk. rhombos "rhombus, spinning top," from rhembesthai "to spin, whirl," from PIE *wrembh-, from *werbh- "to turn, twist, bend" (cf. O.E. weorpan "to throw away"), from base *wer- (see versus).

rhotacism --- 1834, from Mod.L. rhotacismus, from Gk. rhotakizein, from rho "the letter -r-," from Heb. or Phoenician roth. Excessive or peculiar use of the -r- sound (cf. the "burr"), especially the conversion of another sound (usually -s-) to -r-.

rhubarb --- c.1390, from O.Fr. rubarbe, from M.L. rheubarbarum, from Gk. rha barbaron "foreign rhubarb," from rha "rhubarb" (associated with Rha, ancient Scythian name of the River Volga) + barbaron, neut. of barbaros "foreign." Grown in China and Tibet, it was imported into ancient Europe by way of Russia. Spelling altered in M.L. by association with rheum. European native species so called from 1650. Baseball slang meaning "loud squabble on the field" is from 1938, of unknown origin, said to have been first used by broadcaster Garry Schumacher. Perhaps connected with use of rhubarb as a word repeated by stage actors to give the impression of hubbub or conversation (attested from 1934).

rhyme (n.) --- agreement in terminal sounds, 1565, partially restored spelling, from M.E. ryme, rime (c.1200) "measure, meter, rhythm," later "rhymed verse," from O.Fr. rime (fem.), related to O.Prov. rim (masc.), earlier *ritme, from L. rithmus, from Gk. rhythmos "measured motion, time, proportion" (see rhythm).

rhythm --- c.1557, from L. rhythmus "movement in time," from Gk. rhythmos "measured flow or movement, rhythm," related to rhein "to flow," from PIE base *sreu- "to flow" (see rheum). In M.L., rithmus was used for accentual, as opposed to quantitative, verse, and accentual verse was usually rhymed. Rhythm method of birth control attested from 1940. Rhythm and blues, U.S. music style, is from 1949.

rialto --- 1879, "exchange, mart," from the Rialto of Venice, the name of the quarter where the exchange was situated, contracted from Rivoalto and named for the canal (L. rivus altus "deep stream") which it crosses.

rib --- O.E. ribb "rib," from P.Gmc. *rebja (cf. O.N. rif, O.Fris. ribb, O.H.G. ribba, Ger. Rippe), lit. "a covering" (of the chest), from PIE *rebh- "to roof, cover" (cf. O.C.S. rebro "rib"). The verb meaning "tease, fool" is first attested 1930, perhaps as a figurative extension of poking someone in the ribs. Rib joint "brothel" is slang from 1943, probably in allusion to Adam's rib (cf. rib "woman, wife," attested from 1589).

ribald (n.) --- c.1240, "a rogue, ruffian, rascall, scoundrell, varlet, filthie fellow" [Cotgrave], from O.Fr. ribalt, of uncertain origin, perhaps from riber "be wanton, sleep around," from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. riban "be wanton," lit. "to rub," possibly from the common euphemistic use of "rub" words to mean "have sex"), from P.Gmc. *wribanan, from PIE base *wer- "to turn, bend" (see versus). The adj. is attested from 1500, from the noun. Ribaldry is recorded from c.1300.

ribbon --- 1377, ribane, from O.Fr. riban "a ribbon," var. of ruban (13c.), of unknown origin, possibly from a Gmc. compound whose second element is related to band. Modern spelling is from c.1545. Custom of colored ribbon loops worn on lapels to declare support for some oppressed or suffering group began in 1991 with AIDS red ribbons.

riboflavin --- 1935, from Ger. Riboflavin (1935), from ribose (q.v.) + flavin, from L. flavus "yellow" (see blue), so called from its color.

ribonucleic --- 1931, from ribo-, from ribose (q.v.), the sugar component, + nucleic (see nucleic acid).

ribose --- 1892, from Ger. Ribose (1891), shortened and arbitrarily rearranged from Eng. arabinose (c.1880), a sugar which is so called because it is formed from gum arabic.

ribosome --- 1958, coined by R.B. Roberts from ribo(nucleic acid) + -some "body."

rice --- 1234, from O.Fr. ris, from It. riso, from L. oriza (cf. It. riso), from Gk. oryza "rice," via an Indo-Iranian language (cf. Pashto vrize, O.Pers. brizi), ult. from Skt. vrihi-s "rice." The Gk. word is the ult. source of all European words (cf. Welsh reis, Ger. reis, Lith. rysai, Serbo-Cr. riza, Pol. ryz). Introduced 1647 in the Carolinas. Rice paper (1822) is made from a reed found in Taiwan.

rich --- O.E. rice "wealthy, powerful, mighty," from P.Gmc. *rikijaz (cf. O.N. rikr, O.H.G. rihhi "ruler, powerful, rich," O.Fris. rike, Du. rijk, Ger. reich "rich," Goth. reiks "ruler, powerful, rich"), borrowed from a Celtic source akin to Gaulish *rix, O.Ir. ri (gen. rig) "king," from PIE base *reg- "move in a straight line," hence, "direct, rule" (see rex). The form of the word infl. in M.E. by O.Fr. riche "wealthy," from Frank. *riki "powerful," from the Gmc. source. The evolution of the word reflects a connection between wealth and power in the ancient world. Of food and colors, from c.1330; of sounds, from 1592. Sense of "entertaining, amusing" is recorded from 1760. The noun meaning "the wealthy" was in O.E.

Richard --- masc. proper name, M.E. Rycharde, from O.Fr. Richard, from O.H.G. Ricohard, from P.Gmc. *rik- "ruler" + *harthu "hard." One of the most popular names introduced by the Normans.

riches --- valued possessions, money, property, c.1205, modified from richesse (12c.), a singular form misunderstood as a plural, from O.Fr. richesse "wealth, opulence," from riche. The O.Fr. suffix -esse is from L. -itia, added to adjectives to form nouns of quality (cf. duress, largesse).

Richter scale --- 1938, devised by U.S. seismologist Charles Francis Richter (1900-85).

ricin --- poison obtained from the castor-oil bean, 1896, from ricinus, genus name of the castor-oil plant (1694), from L. ricinus (Pliny), perhaps the same word as ricinus "tick (in sheep, dogs, etc.).

rick --- O.E. hreac "stack of hay or straw," from P.Gmc. *khraukaz (cf. O.N. hraukr, Fris. reak, Du. rook "heap"), perhaps related to ridge.

rickets --- 1634, of uncertain origin. Originally a local name for the disease in Dorset and Somerset, England. Some derive it from a Dorset word, rucket "to breathe with difficulty," but the sense connection is difficult. The Mod.L. name for the disease, rachitis, comes from Late Gk. rhachitis "inflammation of the spine," from Gk. rhakhis "spine," but this was chosen by Whistler for resemblance to rickets. Rickety "liable to fall down" (1685) is from rickets via notion of "weak, unhealthy," but has rarely been used in its literal sense.

rickettsia --- parasitic organism, 1919, named 1916 in Mod.L. by H. da Rocha-Lima in honor of U.S. pathologist H.T. Ricketts (1871-1910), who first identified it in 1909 and died of typhus as a result of his contact with it. The bacteria causes typhus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but is unrelated by pathology or etymology to rickets (q.v.), which is the result of vitamin D deficiency.

rickey --- 1895, alcoholic drink made with carbonated water and lime juice, reputedly from the name of a certain Col. Rickey.

rickshaw --- 1887, shortened form of jinrikisha, popularized by Kipling, from Japanese jin "a man" + riki "power" + sha "carriage."

ricochet (v.) --- 1758, originally in a military sense, from Fr. ricochet (n.) "the skipping of a shot, or of a flat stone on water," in earliest use only in phrase fable du ricochet, an entertainment in which the teller of a tale skillfully evades questions, and chanson du ricochet, a kind of repetitious song; of uncertain origin. The noun is attested from 1769.

ricotta --- kind of It. cottage cheese, 1879, earlier ricoct (1582), from It. ricotta, lit. "recooked," From fem. pp. of L. recoquere.

rid --- c.1200, from O.N. ryðja (past tense ruddi, past participle ruddr) "to clear (land) of obstructions," from P.Gmc. *reudijanan (cf. O.H.G. riuten, Ger. reuten "to clear land," O.Fris. rothia "to clear," O.E. -royd "clearing," common in northern place names). The general sense of "to make (something) free (of something else)" emerged by 1565. Senses merged somewhat with Northern Eng., Scot., and U.S. dial redd. Riddance is attested from 1535.

ridden --- c.1340, pp. of ride (q.v.). Sense evolution, via horses, from "that which has been ridden upon, broken in" (1523) to, in compounds, "oppressed, taken advantage of" (1653).

riddle (n.) --- A word game ot joke, comprising a question or statement couched in deliberately puzzling terms, propounded for solving by the hearer/reader using clues embedded within that wording [Oxford Dictionary of English Folklore], O.E. rædels "opinion, riddle, counsel, conjecture," from P.Gmc. *rædislijan (cf. O.S. radisli, M.Du. raetsel, Du. raadsel, O.H.G. radisle, Ger. Rätsel "riddle"). Related to O.E. rædan "to advise, counsel, read, guess" (see read).

riddle (v.) --- perforate with many holes, 1817 (implied in riddled), earlier "sift" (c.1225), from M.E. ridelle "coarse sieve," from late O.E. hriddel "sieve," altered by dissimilation from O.E. hridder "sieve," from P.Gmc. *khridan (cf. Ger. Reiter), from base *khrid- "shake" (cf. O.N. hreinn, O.H.G. hreini, Goth. hrains "clean, pure"); probably from same PIE base as L. cribrum "sieve, riddle," Gk. krinein "to separate, distinguish, decide" (see crisis).

ride --- O.E. ridan "ride" (as on horseback), "move forward, rock" (class I strong verb; past tense rad, pp. riden), from P.Gmc. *ridanan (cf. O.N. riða, O.Fris. rida, M.Du. riden, Ger. reiten), from PIE *reidh- "to ride" (cf. O.Ir. riadaim "I travel," O.Gaul. reda "chariot"). Meaning "heckle" is from 1912; that of "have sex with (a woman)" is from 1250; that of "dominate cruelly" is from 1583. The noun is first recorded 1759; slang meaning "a motor vehicle" is recorded from 1930; sense of "amusement park device" is from 1934. To ride out "endure (a storm, etc.) without great damage" is from 1529. To ride shotgun is 1963, from Old West stagecoach custom in the movies. To ride shank's mare "walk" is from 1846. To take (someone) for a ride "tease, mislead, cheat," is first attested 1925, Amer.Eng., possibly from underworld sense of "take on a car trip with intent to kill" (1927). Phrase go along for the ride "join in passively" is from 1960. A ride cymbal (1956) is used by jazz drummers for keeping up continuous rhythm, as opposed to a crash cymbal (ride as "rhythm" in jazz slang is recorded from 1936).

rider --- one who rides, O.E. ridere, from ride (q.v.). Meaning "clause tacked on to a document after first draft" is from 1669.

ridge --- O.E. hrycg "back of a man or beast," probably reinforced by O.N. hryggr "back, ridge," from P.Gmc. *khrugjaz (cf. O.Fris. hregg, O.S. hruggi, Du. rug, O.H.G. hrukki, Ger. Rücken "the back"), of uncertain origin. Also in O.E., "the top or crest of anything," especially when long and narrow. The connecting notion is of the "ridge" of the backbone. Ridge-runner "Southern Appalachian person" first recorded 1917.

ridiculous --- 1550, from L. ridiculosus "laughable," from ridiculus "that which excites laughter," from ridere "to laugh." In modern senses, ridicule (n.) is attested from 1690; verb is from 1700.

riding --- one of the three districts into which Yorkshire was divided, 1295, from late O.E. *þriðing, a relic of Viking rule, from O.N. ðriðjungr "third part," from ðriði "third" (see third). The initial consonant merged with final consonant of preceding north, west, or east.

rife --- O.E. rife "abundant." Related to O.N. rifr (Swed. river, Norw. riv), M.Du. riif, M.L.G. rive "abundant, generous." "The prevalence of the word in early southern texts is in favour of its being native in English, rather than an adoption from Scandinavian." [OED]

riff --- melodic phrase in jazz, 1935 (but said to have been used by musicians since c.1917), of uncertain origin, perhaps a shortened form of riffle (q.v.), or altered from refrain. The verb is attested from 1955.

riffle --- 1754, "to make choppy water," Amer.Eng., perhaps a variant of ruffle "make rough." The word meaning "shuffle" (cards) is first recorded 1894, probably echoic; that of "skim, leaf through quickly" is from 1922.

riffraff --- c.1470, from earlier rif and raf "one and all, every scrap" (1338), from O.Fr. rif et raf, from rifler "to spoil, strip" (see rifle (v.)) and raffler "carry off," related to rafle "plundering" (see raffle).

rifle (n.) --- 1775, "portable firearm having a spirally grooved bore," used earlier of the grooves themselves (1751), noun use of rifled (pistol), 1689, from verb meaning "to cut spiral grooves in" (a gun barrel), 1635, probably from Fr. rifler, from O.Fr. rifler "to scratch or groove" (see rifle (v.)).

rifle (v.) --- to plunder, 1326 (implied in rifling), from O.Fr. rifler "strip, plunder," lit. "to graze, scratch," probably from a Gmc. source (cf. O.E. geriflian "to wrinkle," O.H.G. riffilon "to tear by rubbing," O.N. rifa "to tear, break").

rift --- c.1300, from a Scand. source (cf. Dan., Norw. rift "a cleft," O.Icel. ript (pronounced "rift") "breach;" related to O.N. ripa "to break a contract" (see riven).

rig (v.) --- c.1489, originally nautical, "to fit with sails," probably from a Scand. source (cf. Dan., Norw. rigge "to equip," Swed. rigga "to rig"), though these may be from Eng. Slang meaning "to pre-arrange or tamper with results" is attested from 1938. The noun meaning "distinctive arrangement of sails, masts, etc. on a ship" is first recorded 1822; extended to horse vehicles (1831), which led to sense of "truck, bus, etc." (1851).

Rig veda --- 1776, from Skt. rigveda, from rg- "song, praise, knowledge" + veda "knowledge." A thousand hymns, orally transmitted, probably dating from before 1000 B.C.E.

rigatoni --- short, hollow, fluted tubes of pasta, 1930, from It., pl. of rigato, pp. of rigare "to draw a line, to make fluting."

Rigel --- bright star in Orion, 1592, from Arabic Rijl Jauzah al Yusra "the Left Leg of the Central One," from rijl "foot."

right (adj.1) --- morally correct, O.E. riht "just, good, fair, proper, fitting, straight," from P.Gmc. *rekhtaz (cf. O.H.G. reht, Ger. recht, O.N. rettr, Goth. raihts), from PIE base *reg- "move in a straight line," also "to rule, to lead straight, to put right" (see regal; cf. Gk. orektos "stretched out, upright;" L. rectus "straight, right;" O.Pers. rasta- "straight, right," aršta- "rectitude;" O.Ir. recht "law;" Welsh rhaith, Breton reiz "just, righteous, wise"). Cf. slang straight "honest, morally upright," and L. rectus "right," lit. "straight," Lith. teisus "right, true," lit. "straight." Gk. dikaios "just" (in the moral and legal sense) is from dike "custom." The noun sense of "just claim" was in O.E. and P.Gmc. As an emphatic, meaning "you are right," it is recorded from 1588; use as a question meaning "am I not right?" is from 1961. The phrase to rights "at once, straightway" is 1663, from sense "in a proper manner" (M.E.). The sense in right whale is "justly entitled to the name." Phrase right off the bat is 1914, earlier hot from the bat (1888), probably a baseball metaphor; right stuff "best human ingredients" is from 1848, popularized by Tom Wolfe's 1979 book about the first astronauts. Right on! as an exclamation of approval first recorded 1925 in black slang, popularized mid-1960s by Black Panther movement. Right of way is attested from 1768.