aight

interjection & adjective

Etymology

A phonological alternation of the adjective and interjection all right. See OED all right, adj. and int. Compare OED aight, adj. and int.

Meaning & use

interjection

Also aite, aiight, a-aight, ay-aight, iight, ight, aight', ite, a'ight, awite

  1. 1944–Used to express confirmation, acceptance, or concession. As an interrogative, used to check for confirmation or understanding.
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    1944
    For real, Craig, be careful. Don't let Venice dog you again. Aight?
    Self Portrait with Friends 1979 xv. 151 in C. Beaton Diary 29 October
    1954
    "Aiight, bet." Demoto leaned down and kissed Ayo's head before turning to walk away.
    Times Literary Supplement 22 January 52/1
    1985
    The other night I was out at the club, aight?
    New York Times 16 June (Section 2) 26/5
    1997
    Aight, fine, see you then, Betty
    D. Johnson Le Divorce 18
    1997
    Shellie, just stop signifyin. Awight?
    Guardian 22 January 15/5
  2. 1926–Used to introduce a statement or a change in discussion topics.
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    1926
    ite yea this clipse album is CRAZY
    Ogden Utah Standard-Examiner 17 January 2/1
    1932
    "Awight, Lloyd," Lena interrupted. "Why you take the last drumstick?"
    T. Smith Topper takes Trip xxiii. 35
    1935
    Aight Jazzy, we gon' do somethin a little different right now.
    Daily Mirror 14 July 15/2
    1942
    Aite, it takes ten minutes to get to Des school, and the same amount of time to get back.
    Chicago Sunday Tribune 15 March ii. 3/8
    1973
    Aight, check it out, here we go.
    Flint Michigan Journal 3 June a15/4

adjective

Also aite, aiight, a-aight, ay-aight, iight, ight, aight', ite, a'ight, awite

  1. 1910–Describing something that is satisfactory, acceptable, or sufficient.
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    1910
    "I do awite," he said, handing her a cup of steaming coffee.
    W. Pole Philos. Music ed. 5 xvii. 210
    1928
    It was aight but nothing to write home about.
    C. S. WhiteheadC. A. Hoff Ethical Sex Relations; or, The New Eugenics new edition i. iv. 136
    1933
    It's gonna be aight' you got me, Lil Kev and Fae.
    J. A. Thomson Biology for Everyman 1934 I. xx. 549
    1960
    And when you hear this story you'll say it's aight though.
    H. HardmanE. J. Cole Paper-making Practice xi. 107
    1961
    "It was aight," I said, smiling reluctantly.
    A. Hosain Sunlight on Broken Column 1988 iii. xvi. 254
    1988
    Finally watched The Substance. It was iight. I didn't like the ending but otherwise it was solid.
    Contemporary Music Review 2 ii. 43
  2. 1926–Describing something that is acceptable for a specific situation or allowable in a certain context.
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    1926
    MCs might snitch, call the cops on me, but it's aight cause I got my peeps here with me.
    Boy's Life June 61/2
    1965
    It's aight, Love. I forgive you. Let's go take care of this.
    J. Kosinski Painted Bird 1972 v. 49
    1970
    "It's aight, little man," I said to the boy already over half my size and at least my weight.
    A. GaileyA. Fenton Spade in Northern & Atlantic Europe 74 in R. A. DodgshonC. A. Jewell
  3. 1915–Describing a person who is content, fine, or comfortable.
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    1915
    Don't you love when you max out the budget for the week but stuff is paid, your dog got food and it's gas in the car? 😂😂😂 like you know what, I'm aite 😂
    G. MartinW. Barbour Industrial Nitrogen Compounds & Explosives ix. 95
    1949
    You sure you gon' be aight? You'on need nuthin'?
    C. Williams Descent into Hell ix. 174
    1953
    You sure you're a'ight?
    D. Thomas Collected Letters 1987 889
    1970
    He looked iight, but I knew he probably wasn't.
    A. GaileyA. Fenton Spade in Northern & Atlantic Europe Introduction 6 in E. E. Evans
  4. 1953–Describing a person who demonstrates integrity and is generally considerd a decent person.
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    1953
    Slack you awight, you could' a cheated me fa hella dis, but you didn't.
    British Patent 697,793 1/1
    1964
    Crawford aight for a white man, but I ain't gon trust him no farther than I can sling him.
    U.S. Patent 3,147,778 1