Английский Этимологический словарь - right (adj.)

- O.E. riht "just, good, fair, proper, fitting, straight," from P.Gmc. *rekhtaz, from PIE base *reg- "move in a straight line." Meaning "opposite of left" is first recorded 1125, from the notion of the right hand as the "correct" hand. The verb is O.E. rihtan "to straighten, rule, set up." The noun sense of "just claim" was in O.E. and P.Gmc. Use as a question meaning "Am I not right?" is from 1961. The political sense of "conservative" is first recorded 1825, a translation of Fr. Droit "the Right, Conservative Party" in the Fr. National Assembly (1789; see left). Right wing is first recorded 1905. The phrase to rights "at once, straightway" is 1663, from sense "in a proper manner" (M.E.). 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.