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# righteous

adjective (righteous, more righteous, most righteous); noun (the righteous — people who are good, formal or Bible)

«righteous» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Righteous means morally right and good, doing what is fair and honest. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#m1)
2. (Bible, church) A righteous person is one who lives the way God wants; Christians and Jews believe God loves the righteous. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#m2)
3. Righteous anger is anger you feel because something is truly unfair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#m3)
4. (slang, US, a bit old-fashioned) Righteous can mean really great or excellent. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#m4)

### In the lessons

In stories it tells the reader a character is good and fair, or sometimes that a character only thinks they are good (self-righteous). In church and Bible lessons it describes people who obey God (the righteous, the path of the righteous). Phrases: righteous anger, righteous cause, self-righteous (thinking you are better than others).

### Examples

- The judge was a righteous man who treated everyone fairly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x1)
- Noah was called a righteous man in the Bible story. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x2)
- She felt a righteous anger when the bully took the little boy's lunch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x3)
- The psalm says the righteous will flourish like a palm tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x4)
- Fighting for clean water for the village is a righteous cause. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x5)
- Don't be so self-righteous; you forget your homework too! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x6)
- (slang, US) That skateboard jump was totally righteous, dude. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/#x7)

### Note

Sounds like RY-chus. Not used for maths. Self-righteous is not a compliment: it means smug about being good. The opposite is unrighteous or wicked. Say «a righteous person», not «a righteous».

## In Jewish tradition

In the Torah a righteous person is one who does what is just and what God wants. Noah and Abraham are called this.

**Interpretation.** Tradition calls such a person a tzaddik. The rabbis taught that a tzaddik may still make mistakes but keeps trying to follow God.

### Examples

- Noah was in his generations a man righteous and whole-hearted; Noah walked with God. (Torah GEN.6.9, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/#x1)
- Let me die the death of the righteous, and let mine end be like his! (Torah NUM.23.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/#x2)
- And Abraham drew near, and said: 'Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? (Torah GEN.18.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/#x3)
- If thou be righteous, what givest thou Him? (Writings JOB.35.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/#x4)
- Do ye indeed speak as a righteous company? (Writings PSA.58.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/#x5)
- When the foundations are destroyed, what hath the righteous wrought? (Writings PSA.11.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/#x6)

### Note

Sounds like RY-chus. Not used for maths. Self-righteous is not a compliment: it means smug about being good. The opposite is unrighteous or wicked. Say «a righteous person», not «a righteous».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «righteous» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/righteous/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«righteous» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/righteous.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «righteous» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/R/righteous/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«righteous» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/righteous.html) on Mova free.