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Showing results for directly. Search instead for direly.
Synonyms

directly

American  
[dih-rekt-lee, dahy-] / dɪˈrɛkt li, daɪ- /

adverb

  1. in a direct line, way, or manner; straight.

    The path leads directly to the lake.

  2. at once; without delay; immediately.

    Do that directly.

  3. shortly; soon.

    They will be here directly.

  4. exactly; precisely.

    directly opposite the store.

  5. without intervening space; next in order.

    The truck was parked directly behind my car.

  6. openly or frankly; candidly.

    He didn't hesitate to speak directly about his debts.
    Synonyms:
    freely

  7. Mathematics. in direct proportion.

conjunction

  1. as soon as.

    Directly he arrived, he mentioned the subject.
directly British  
/ dɪˈrɛktlɪ, daɪ- /

adverb

  1. in a direct manner

  2. at once; without delay

  3. immediately; just

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

conjunction

  1. (subordinating) as soon as

    we left directly the money arrived
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See immediately.

Etymology

Origin of directly

First recorded in 1350–1400, directly is from the Middle English word directli. See direct, -ly

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.