A contraction of "All right": a (usually friendly)
British informal greeting, not
always accompanied by the word "
mate". It can be used (and this is not an exhaustive list) on its own, followed by the word "
mate", or followed by a
name: this latter usage is usually more friendly than the others, as it implies that you know that person well enough to use their first name in a cheerful and informal greeting.
It can also be used when questioning the wellbeing of another. However, this will almost always be preceeded by a word denoting that it is a question, e.g. "you".
N.B. If someone passes you and says "Alright", do not respond "Yes". There are a number of accepted responses, such as a simple "Alright", often followed by the person in question's name, the phrase normally spoken in a more assertive
tone, as it is a response, not a question.
