by rights

Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Medical, Legal, Financial, Encyclopedia.

by rights

Fairly and justly, according to one's due rights. Because you're the oldest nephew, you inherit the most of Uncle Ed's fortune by rights. By rights, you can't interrogate him without a lawyer present.

See also: by, right

by rights

Justly, in fairness, as in By rights he should have been chosen first. Originally put as by right, this term was first recorded about 1315.

See also: by, right

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

by rights

By rights means according to what is fair, legal or allowed. He took the money that was mine by rights. By rights she should have had no access to the royal gardens at all.

See also: by, right

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

by ˈrights

according to what should happen or what you would expect: By rights I should feel sorry for shouting at her, but I don’t.

See also: by, right

by rights

In a just or proper manner; justly.

See also: by, right

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.