downright

== English == === Etymology === The adverb is derived from Middle English dounright, dounriȝt (“right down, straight down; face down; vertically; used for emphasis: outright, downright”), and then either: possibly an aphetic form of adounright (“straight down; directly, immediately (?)”), from adoun (“downward”, adverb) (from Old English adūn, adūne (“down, downward”, adverb), ultimately from dūn (“hill, mountain”), from Proto-West Germanic *dūnā, *dūnu (“hill; sand dune”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewh₂- (“haze, mist; smoke”)) + right (“direct; straight; etc.”, adjective) (from Old English riht (“straight; etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₃reǵ- (“to straighten”)); or from doun (“down, downward; etc.”, adverb) (from Old English dūne (“down”), ultimately from dūn (“hill, mountain”): see above) + right. By surface analysis, down (adverb) +‎ right (adjective). The adjective and noun are derived from the adverb. Noun sense 1 (“low grade of wool”) may be from the obsolete adjective sense 2.2 (“in its most basic form; ordinary”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈdaʊnɹaɪt/, (as a postqualifier or at the end of a clause) /ˌdaʊnˈɹaɪt/ IPA(key): /ˈdaʊnˌɹaɪt/, (as a postqualifier or at the end of a clause) /ˌdaʊnˈɹaɪt/ Rhymes: (as a postqualifier or at the end of a clause) -aɪt Hyphenation: down‧right === Adverb === downright (not comparable) (figurative) Completely, wholly. Synonyms: absolutely, entirely, outright, positively, right-down, thoroughly, utterly; see also Thesaurus:completely (archaic) Of acts or speech: directly and unambiguously; clearly, plainly. Synonyms: bluntly, outright (obsolete) Straight down; perpendicularly. (figurative) Immediately at that place and time; without delay; altogether, at once, then and there. Synonyms: outright, straight, straight away ==== Usage notes ==== Sense 1.1 (“completely, wholly”) is used to emphasize or intensify the following adjective, which usually refers to some negative quality. ==== Derived terms ==== downrightly downrightness ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === downright (comparative more downright, superlative most downright) (figurative) Absolute, complete. Synonyms: (Scotland) evendown, outright, right-down, unmitigated, utter; see also Thesaurus:total Of a person or their behaviour: direct, plain, straightforward; also, of speech: direct and unambiguous; blunt, to the point. Synonyms: clear, unevasive (obsolete) Coming straight down; directed vertically. (figurative) Chiefly in downright money: in its most basic form; ordinary. ==== Translations ==== === Noun === downright (plural downrights) (obsolete) (chiefly in the plural) A low grade of wool from the lower parts of the sides of a fleece. (rare) A vertical line; a perpendicular, a vertical. === References === === Anagrams === right-down