"Dost right" is an archaic combination of the verb "dost" and the adverb "right," meaning "doing something correctly or in a just manner." The spelling of "dost" is derived from Middle English, where "dost" was a second person singular present form of "do," and "right" comes from Old English "riht." The phonetic transcription of "dost right" is /dʌst raɪt/. The pronunciation of "dost right" may vary depending on regional accents and dialects.
"Dost right" is an archaic phrase that was popularly used in Middle English and Elizabethan English during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is a combination of two words, "dost" and "right," both of which have older forms of usage.
1. "Dost" is the second person singular present tense of the verb "do" in Middle English. It was used as an auxiliary verb to form questions or negatives. It is equivalent to the modern usage of "do," which is mainly employed to create emphasis or clarification.
2. "Right" is an adjective that derives from Old English and signifies correctness, truth, or moral virtue. It represents something that adheres to just principles, ethics, or is aligned with a standard of moral conduct.
Therefore, the phrase "dost right" can be understood as an affirmation of someone's actions or behavior being just, commendable, or good. It suggests that the person is acting in accordance with moral principles or fulfilling their duties responsibly and correctly.
While "dost right" is rarely used in modern vernacular, it can be found in literature and plays from the Middle Ages, particularly in the works of William Shakespeare. These phrases may add a poetic or authentic touch when seeking to recreate or evoke a sense of historical language or atmosphere.
The phrase "dost right" consists of two words that have their own individual etymologies.
1. Dost: This is the second-person singular present tense form of the verb "do" in Early Modern English. Its etymology traces back to the Old English word "dost" which means "do". It is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "dugą" meaning "to be strong" or "to avail" and can be traced further back to the Proto-Indo-European root word "*dʰug-".
2. Right: The word "right" is derived from Old English "riht" or "rihtan", which means "just" or "direct". Its etymology can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic word "rehtaz", meaning "right" or "just".