rightful, a. (n. and adv.)
(ˈraɪtfʊl)
Forms: see right a.; also 3–4 -fol(le, -vol(le, 4–5 -fulle, 4–6 -full, 5 -fful.
[Late OE. rihtful, f. riht right n.1 + -ful.]
1. Of persons: Disposed to do right; upright, just. (Cf. righteous a. 1.) Now rare or Obs.
| a 1122 O.E. Chron. (Laud MS.) an. 1100, Eall þet þe Gode wæs lað & rihtfullan mannan..wæs ᵹewunelic on þisan lande. c 1275 Lay. 10100 Luce was kinebore..and he was swiþe rihfolle. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 1606 Emperour [Trajan] was Þe nobloste þat miȝte be,..So riȝtuol he was. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. ix. 17 Seue siþes a day..sungeþ þe rihtful mon. c 1380 Lay Folks Catech. (Lamb. MS.) 531 This god is..most ryȝtful, and most ful of goodnesse. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 189 Be ryghtfull to al men, Slow to be wroth, Redy to mercy. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 66/4 Thenne said Saul, I haue synned... Thou arte right⁓fuller than I am. 1529 Rastell Pastyme (1811) 20 The moost ryghtful and indyfferent juge that ever was. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iv. i. 301 Por. The Court awards it, and the law doth giue it. Iew. Most rightfull Iudge. 1611 Cotgr., Iuste,..incorrupt, rightfull, vpright, sincere. |
| 1819 Shelley Cenci iii. i. 179 Mighty death! Thou double⁓visaged shadow! Only judge! Rightfullest arbiter! |
† b. absol. (
Cf. righteous 1 b and 1 c.)
| a 1325 Prose Psalter xxxvi[i]. 25 Whan þe riȝtful haþ fallen, he ne shal nouȝt ben hirt. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 241 Alle þat helpeth þe innocent and halt with þe riȝtful. a 1425 Cursor M. 17315 (Trin.), Euel haue ȝe done wolde ȝe be knowen Of þat riȝtful þat ȝe dud honge. |
2. Of actions, etc.: In conformity with what is right or just; equitable, thoroughly fair.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 2876 Hii binome him is kinedom & þat is a riȝtuol dede. Ibid. 5391 Lawes he made riȝtuolore & strengore þan er were. 1340 Ayenb. 44 Þe oþre manere is huanne me heþ riȝtuolle wyȝtes and riȝtuolle mesures and zelleþ ontreweliche. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. Prol. 127 Crist..leue þe lede þi londe, so leute þe louye, And for þi riȝtful rewlyng be rewarded in heuene! 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 145 Hoppe is a ryghtfull tryste for a ryghtfull Werke. 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 103 The quarel that I haue is rightful. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon lxxxi. 249 Let me haue ryghtfull and trewe iugement. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. xii. 28 For truth is strong her rightfull cause to plead. c 1630 Milton Circumcision 17 For we by rightfull doom remediles Were lost in death. a 1721 Prior (J.), The smiling hours; Such as with friendly care have guarded Patriots and kings in rightful wars. 1813 Scott Rokeby v. xxi, He that sings the rightful cause. 1859 I. Taylor Logic in Theol. 201 Can it be rightful..to enact in India..that which was enacted for the Roman world? |
3. Legal, lawful, legitimate:
a. Of persons, in respect of position or claims.
| c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 2804 (Kölbing), Euerichon..maden solempne bisecheinge For to haue a riȝtful kinge. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 4122 So were thei for everemo..Departed fro the rihtfull heir. |
| 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. vii. 19 But thou didst these goods bereave From rightfull owner by unrighteous lott. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, ii. v. 80 In this haughtie great attempt..to plant the rightfull Heire, I lost my Libertie. 1605 Camden Rem. 3 Her vndoubted and rightfull successor. 1667 Milton P.L. v. 815 Every Soule in Heav'n Shall..Confess him rightful King. 1724 Welton Chr. Faith & Pract. 215 A due obedience to our rightful governors. 1784 Cowper Task iii. 749 The legitimate and rightful lord is but a transient guest. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. vii. II. 161 The common people..regarded him as their rightful head. 1855 Ibid. xxi. IV. 684 How a rightful and lawful possessor is to be distinguished from a possessor who has the exclusive right by law [etc.]. |
| Comb. 1856 Lever Martins of Cro' M. 623 A daughter—an illegitimate one—but worthy to be the rightful-born child to the first man in the land. |
b. Of inheritance, possessions, etc.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 291 Selde is any pore riche, but of riȝtful heritage. 1399 Gower Conf., To Hen. IV, 59 To cleime and axe his rightful heritage In alle places wher it is withholde. 1483 [see heritage n. 2]. 1612 Drayton Poly-olb. xii. 359 His..son, By..stepdame's hate, to death was lastly done, To set his rightful Crown upon a wrongful head. 1736 Gentl. Mag. VI. 434/1 The rightful undisturbed Possession of it will add vastly to the Power of France. c 1792 Burns Extempore on Thomson 8 Th' unfading garland.., Thy sair-won, rightful spoil. 1856 Hawthorne Eng. Note-bks. (1870) II. 69 This unparalleled Englishman declined taking anything beyond his rightful halfpenny. a 1859 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xxv. V. 294 An innocent boy, who was kept out of his rightful inheritance by an ambitious kinsman. |
† 4. Straight.
Obs. rare.
| 1382 Wyclif Matt. iii. 3 Make ȝe redy the wayes of the Lord; make ȝe riȝtful the pathes of hym. [Also Heb. xii. 13.] |
5. Proper, fitting; correct. Now
rare.
| ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 405, I trowe that she Was fair sumtyme,..Whan she was in hir rightful age. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. iv. 377 Relacion rect is a ryhtful custome. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 240 Of the ryghtfull houris and tymes of ettynge and drynkynge. a 1586 Sidney Ps. xli. vi, Triumph well may I, whome thou did'st stay In my sound rightfull way. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 794 Such is the rightfull Courtier in his kinde. 1676 Marvell Wks. (Grosart) II. 537 If they have no share by right in the government of themselves, by their certain rightful times of parliaments. 1704 Prior Let. to Boileau 111 Danube scarce retains his rightful Course. 1839 J. Very Poems 42 (Cent.), The hand and foot that stir not, they shall find Sooner than all the rightful place to go. a 1853 Robertson Lect. i. (1858) 30 You have surely proceeded in the rightful order. |
† 6. As
adv. Rightfully, properly.
Obs.| 13.. Cursor M. 3742 (Gött.), He has me done ful mekil schame, Rihtful was iacob cald his name. 1422 tr. Secreta Secret., Priv. Priv. 167 The Powere of a prynce that is not ryghtfull demenyt. |
Hence
† ˈrightfulhood.
Obs.—1| c 1470 [see righteoushood]. |