right away — immediately; without delay
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: immediately; without delay
Pronunciation (IPA): /raɪt əˈweɪ/
Example Sentences
- When the fire alarm went off, everyone had to evacuate right away.
- My mom said 'Come home right away!' so I dropped my pizza and ran.
- The boss wants to see you right away - good luck!
right away
ADVERB[/raɪt əˈweɪ/]
immediately; without delay
She called the police right away when she saw smoke coming from the building.
When the alarm rang, the firefighters left right away and rushed toward the station's emergency vehicle. (RIGHT = directly, exactly, AWAY = immediately off / without staying)
“Right away — don't delay!” the doctor told the nurse when the emergency patient arrived.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrase combines two Old English words: 'right' (meaning directly, immediately) and 'away' (meaning onward, continuously). The compound developed to emphasize immediacy and urgency, eventually solidifying as a single adverbial phrase meaning instantaneously or without delay.
Breakdown
right (directly, straight) + away (onward, at once) = immediately, instantly. The juxtaposition of these two adverbs creates emphatic force, with 'right' modifying the directness of action and 'away' intensifying the sense of immediate continuation.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“When the fire alarm went off, everyone had to evacuate right away.”
“My mom said 'Come home right away!' so I dropped my pizza and ran.”
“The boss wants to see you right away - good luck!”
“I knew right away that I had forgotten my wallet at home.”
📚Related Words
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