right

right — verb

1. to take action to fix something that was unfair, incorrect, or harmful — for exa

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to take action to fix something that was unfair, incorrect, or harmful — for example, apologising for a wrong accusation, returning stolen goods, or giving someone the praise they should have received but never got.

例句

Owen tried to right the wrong by returning the wallet he found on the bus.

collocation: right a wrong

The government promised to right the injustice faced by the displaced families.

collocation: right an injustice

同義詞
  • correct

    broader — can apply to facts, behaviour, or errors, not just moral wrongs

  • rectify

    more formal; often used in administrative or technical contexts

  • remedy

    suggests solving a problem or curing a harmful condition

  • redress

    very formal; specifically about compensating for a grievance or injustice

反義詞
  • worsen

    to make a bad situation even worse

  • aggravate

    to make an injury, problem, or offence more serious

文法句型

right + noun phrase (wrong / situation / injustice)

用法筆記

Object is typically an abstract noun such as wrong, injustice, situation, mistake, or record. This sense is moderately formal and appears most often in ethical, legal, and political contexts rather than everyday casual conversation.

常見錯誤

I righted my homework before handing it in.
I corrected my homework before handing it in.
💡'right' as a verb fixes moral or social wrongs, not factual errors in school assignments.
The mechanic righted the car engine.
The mechanic fixed the car engine.
💡'right' implies putting a relationship or situation back on a just path; mechanical repair uses 'fix' or 'repair.'

2. to move something, or cause something to move, back to a vertical position after

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to move something, or cause something to move, back to a vertical position after it has fallen over, tipped, or turned onto its side — for example, pushing a knocked-over chair back onto its legs, or a sailboat turning itself upright again after being pushed sideways by the wind.

例句

The crew managed to right the sailboat after it tipped over in the strong wind.

transitive: right + boat / sailboat

Vivek gently righted the lamp that the cat had knocked off the bedside table.

同義詞
  • straighten

    less strong — can mean making something less crooked, not necessarily bringing it from a fallen state

  • set upright

    more literal and descriptive, emphasising the resulting position

  • stand up

    informal; used when an object that fell over is placed back on its base

反義詞
  • tip over

    to cause something to fall from an upright position

  • capsize

    specifically for boats or ships turning over in water

  • overturn

    to turn something upside down or onto its side

文法句型

right + object (boat / chair / vehicle)

right + reflexive pronoun (right itself / right themselves)

用法筆記

Frequently appears with reflexive pronouns (right itself / right themselves) to describe a boat, vehicle, or object returning upright on its own. When used transitively, the object is something that has completely tipped over or capsized — not merely tilted or slightly out of alignment.

常見錯誤

She righted the book that was leaning on the shelf.
She straightened the book that was leaning on the shelf.
💡'right' is for objects that have fallen fully over, not for items that are slightly crooked.
The doctor righted the patient in the hospital bed.
The doctor sat the patient upright in the hospital bed.
💡'right' is not used for adjusting a person's position; use 'sit up' or 'lift.'

right — noun

right — adjective

right — adverb

right — exclamation