downright, adv., a., and n.
(daʊnˈraɪt, ˈdaʊnraɪt)
[f. down adv. + right a. and adv., in OE. riht, rihte: cf. adownright.]
A. adv. (Stressed ˈdownright when preceding the word it qualifies, downˈright when following.)
† 1. Straight down; vertically downwards. Obs.
| c 1205 Lay. 25613 Þe drake..flah dun rihte, mid feondliche ræsen. c 1320 Seuyn Sag. (W.) 621 The elde tre..Hewe him to the grounde dounright. 1426 Audelay Poems 23 He fel downe ryȝt into hel sodenly. 1538 H. Medwall Nature (1896) 40 Some shote sydelong and some down ryght. 1674 Ray Notes Husb. 129 That part of the root, which descends down-right. 1728 Pope Dunc. ii. 288 He..Shot to the black abyss, and plung'd downright. 1763 Brit. Mag. IV. 554 Several..were seen to sink downright, by some people who were on the cliffs. |
2. Thoroughly, absolutely, quite, positively, out and out, outright.
| a 1300 E.E. Psalter cv. 18 Þe lowe it swath sinful dounright. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xviii. 191 God gaf þe dome..Þat Adam & Eue..Shulde deye doune riȝte. 1480 Caxton Chron. Eng. ccxlvii. (1482) 314 Scottes that day were slayne doune right the substaunce of them alle. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. iv. i. 389 They'l mocke vs now downe⁓right. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq., Apol. 562 Unless you were down-right mad. 1724 R. Falconer Voy. (1769) 141 Killed four downright, and wounded several. 1832 H. Martineau Homes Abroad v. 66, I was downright scared. |
† 3. In a direct or straightforward manner; plainly, definitely. Obs.
| 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. iv. 31 You haue heard him sweare downright he was. 1680 Otway Caius Marius iv. i, An honest, simple, downright-dealing Lord. 1684 T. Burnet Th. Earth ii. 131 St. Peter..uses a plain literal style, and discourses down-right concerning the natural world. |
† 4. Straightway, straight. Obs.
| 1647 H. More Song of Soul ii. ii. i. iii, The soul that I..Must now pursue and fall upon down-right. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull ii. iii, This paper put Mrs. Bull in such a passion that she fell down right into a fit. |
B. adj. (Usually stressed ˈdownright; but sometimes downˈright at the end of a clause.)
1. Directed straight downwards; vertical; directly descending.
| 1530 Palsgr. 215/1 Downeright stroke, taille. 1578 Lyte Dodoens v. xiv. 566 This Hawkweede hath no deepe downeright roote. 1593 Shakes. 2 Hen. VI, ii. iii. 92 Haue at thee with a downe-right blow. 1621 G. Sandys Ovid's Met. ii. (1626) 225 To iump from downe-right cliffes. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 71 He gave him again a down-right blow, and brought him upon his knees. 1759 Phil. Trans. LI. 299 Its motion was..quite downright, i.e. perpendicular to the horizon. 1857 Whittier What of the Day? 3 Thunders..Far-rolling ere the downright lightnings glare. |
2. fig. a. Direct, straightforward, not circuitous; plain, definite. Of persons: Plain and direct in speech or behaviour (sometimes implying bluntness of manner). Obs. or arch.
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iii. ii. 12 After this downe-right way of Creation. a 1616 Beaum. & Fl. Knight Malta v. ii, Your downright captain still I'll live, and serve you. a 1626 Bacon (J.), An admonition from a dead author, or a caveat from an impartial pen, will prevail more than a downright advice. 1717 Savage Love in Veil i. i, What we call in downright English a pimp. 1733 Pope Hor. Sat. ii. i. 52 As plain As downright Shippen, or as old Montaigne. 1856 Froude Hist. Eng. (1858) II. vii. 145 He had a certain downright honesty about him. |
b. That is thoroughly or entirely (what is denoted by the n.); nothing less than.., mere, absolute, positive, thorough, ‘flat’, ‘out-and-out’.
| 1565–73 Cooper Thesaurus, Autopyron, Browne bread..downe right bread. a 1628 Preston Serm. bef. his Majestie (1630) 19 To be a downe-right Papist. 1699 Bentley Phal. 267 This is no better than down-right Nonsense. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 266 ¶3 [She] is not to have down-right Money, but..a Present of Plate. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 344 He is a downright atheist. |
C. n. (ˈdownright). [The adj. used ellipt.]
† 1. A vertical line; a perpendicular. Obs.
| 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. 153 Brought by a sharp angle to a downright or perpendicular..with the thiller. |
2. (pl.) Name of a quality of wool.
| 1793 Vansittart Refl. Concl. Peace 73 Downrights {pstlg}12 0 0 per pack, Seconds {pstlg}11 0 0. 1832–52 M{supc}Culloch Dict. Comm. 1428 The best English short native fleeces..are..divided by the wool sorter into..1. Prime; 2. Choice; 3. Super; 4. Head; 5. Downrights; 6. Seconds. |