Right away

Meaning

The idiom "right away" means immediately, without any delay or hesitation. It can also mean right from the start or straight away.

Usage

• I need to go grocery shopping right away because I'm out of bread.
• She asked me a difficult question, and I had to answer it right away.
• The company wants to launch their new product right away, but they need to do more testing first.
• I have a meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning, so I need to start preparing right away.
• He asked me out on a date right away after we met at the party. The usage of this idiom can vary depending on the context. It can be used in a formal or informal setting, and it can also be used in different tenses. For example:
• I need to finish this project right away because my boss is counting on me. (present tense)
• We should start working on our presentation right away because we have a lot of material to cover. (future tense)

Roots and History

The idiom "right away" dates back to the 16th century in English. It was originally used to mean "at once" or "immediately". Over time, it has evolved to mean "without any delay or hesitation", which is its current figurative meaning.

Synonyms in English

• Immediately
• At once
• Without delay
• Posthaste
• Right off the bat

Synonyms in other languages

• Spanish: "enseguida"
• French: "droit de coup"
• German: "sofortig"
• Italian: "subito"
• Japanese: "すぐに"

Similar Idioms

• cut the cord

• warn off

• bear the brunt of