Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. an equivocal term of measured praise, acceptable, passing muster.

1857		Westmorland Gaz. 27 June 7/2: He used to [...] turn out with his boots oiled and himself ‘all right’ at cockcrow.
1872		G.P. Burnham Memoirs of the US Secret Service 203: This conduct on Tim’s part convinced the crowd, instanter, that he was ‘all right’.
1895		Coburg Leader (Vic.) 1 June 4/5: Charley J. down East hooked an allright piece of black velvet.
1902		Bulletin (Sydney) 12 July Red Page/2: They’re just splendid fellows, all of them. Of course Michael and Gabriel have got to be a bit offish through their positions, but I’ll guarantee if you were to get them after hours they’d be all-right company.
1904		Number 1500 Life In Sing Sing 202: They subsequently learned that one of their number, who had once been an all-right crook, was then a Scotland Yard stool-pigeon.
1907		N.Z. Truth 30 Nov. 2/3: He starts to tell me what an orlright place Christchurch is.
1912		Bulletin (Sydney) 24 Oct. 5/2: The stubborn ‘barney’ re a price, the quarrels o’er a lass, / These everyday vexations cease beside a brimming glass; / And they who came ‘to have it out’ remain to yarn and smoke, / And later tell their curious friends, ‘Oh, he’s an all-right bloke.’.
1928		R. Carr Rampant Age 4: You’ll be all-right pool shark – when you grow up.
1930		(con. 1870s) A. Carey Memoirs of a Murder Man 59: The doctor’s all right. He couldn’t afford to be mixed up in anything that wasn’t honest.
1938		D. Runyon ‘Dancing Dan’s Christmas’ Runyon on Broadway (1954) 266: An all-right guy by the name of Shapiro.
1947		I. Shulman Amboy Dukes 73: Frank was an all-right guy.
1952		‘Hal Ellson’ Golden Spike 200: Look, you know us, we’re all right kitties, so you got to give.
1968		N. Heard Howard Street 136: I knew Cowboy’d see us straight [...] he’s a awright cat.
1977		F. Dike First South African 30: Ou Solly’s ’n alright laitie.
1979		E. Lovelace Dragon Can’t Dance (1998) 76: They looked like all-right fellers.
1989		C. Hiaasen Skin Tight 33: He’s an all-right guy.
1991		J. Osborne Déjàvu Act I: Dad’s place is an all-right squat.
2000		T. Blacker Kill Your Darlings 253: Basically, he’s an all right sort of bloke.

2. in criminal terms, trustworthy.

1909		W. Irwin Confessions of a Con Man 30: He gave me the high sign of the profession to show he was all right.
1931		P.J. Wolfson Bodies are Dust (2019) [ebook] ‘He’s all right,’ Mac said. ‘One of the boys.’ Then to Salmon: ‘The inspector is all right’.
1950		Goldin et al. DAUL 18/1: All-right ghee. An excellent fellow.
1951		C. Stoker Thicker ’n Thieves 39: In order to continue to break the vice and gambling laws profitably, they have to know who is ‘all right’—i.e., who is dishonest and graft-taking; and who is ‘all wrong’—honest and devoted to law enforcement.

3. sexually amenable.

1988

(con. 1920s–40s) in L. Rose Rogues and Vagabonds [...] 1815–1985.

4. (US black) on good terms.

2011

W. Henderson City of Nightmares Part Two 5: ‘I’m from 16th and Brown Morrocco’s’ [...] ‘I’m from Norris Street. Morrocco’s and Norris Street always been alright’ [...] From hereon on out Hatchjet-man and I were alright.