direct
to manage or guide by advice, helpful information, instruction, etc.: He directed the company through a difficult time.
to regulate the course of; control: History is directed by a small number of great men and women.
to give authoritative instructions to; command; order or ordain: I directed him to leave the room.
to serve as a director in the production or performance of (a musical work, play, motion picture, etc.).
to guide, tell, or show (a person) the way to a place: I directed him to the post office.
to point, aim, or send toward a place or object: to direct radio waves around the globe.
to channel or focus toward a given result, object, or end (often followed by to or toward): She directed all her energies toward the accomplishment of the work.
to address (words, a speech, a written report, etc.) to a person or persons: The secretary directed his remarks to two of the committee members.
to address (a letter, package, etc.) to an intended recipient.
to act as a guide.
to give commands or orders.
to serve as the director of a play, film, orchestra, etc.
proceeding in a straight line or by the shortest course; straight; undeviating; not oblique: a direct route.
proceeding in an unbroken line of descent; lineal rather than collateral: a direct descendant.
Mathematics.
(of a proportion) containing terms of which an increase (or decrease) in one results in an increase (or decrease) in another: a term is said to be in direct proportion to another term if one increases (or decreases) as the other increases (or decreases).
(of a function) the function itself, in contrast to its inverse.: Compare inverse (def. 2).
straightforward; frank; candid: the direct remarks of a forthright individual.
consisting exactly of the words originally used; verbatim: direct quotation.
Government. of or by action of voters, which takes effect without representatives or another intervening agency, as in direct democracy.
inevitable; consequential: War will be a direct result of such political action.
allocated for or arising from a particular known agency, process, job, etc.: The new machine was listed by the accountant as a direct cost.
Electricity. of or relating to direct current.
Astronomy.
moving in an orbit in the same direction as the earth in its revolution around the sun.
appearing to move on the celestial sphere in the direction of the natural order of the signs of the zodiac, from west to east.: Compare retrograde (def. 4).
Surveying. (of a telescope) in its normal position; not inverted or transited.
(of dye colors) working without the use of a mordant; substantive.
Origin of direct
1synonym study For direct
Other words for direct
Other words from direct
- di·rect·a·ble, adjective
- di·rect·ness, noun
- pre·di·rect, verb (used with object)
- self-di·rect·ing, adjective
- sem·i·di·rect, adjective
- sem·i·di·rect·ness, noun
Words Nearby direct
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use direct in a sentence
Players and their direct support teams and essential staff members not able to work from home will be the only players allowed to enter Melbourne Park.
Novak Djokovic’s five-set battle at Australian Open started with fans and ended without them | Matt Bonesteel | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostMultiple assistant coaches said they have had to come to terms with the direct impact that the protocols can have on their team’s record, either by cutting down on practice time and in-person meetings or by sidelining players.
The NBA’s week of controversies show how hard life is outside of the bubble | Ben Golliver | February 12, 2021 | Washington PostIn June 2019, Housing Commissioners Stefanie Benvenuto and Ryan Clumpner directed the agency to study the viability of a vacancy fee.
Vacancy Tax Study Is Giving City Officials Déjà Vu | Lisa Halverstadt and Andrew Keatts | February 10, 2021 | Voice of San DiegoThe more common direct-drive motor begins spinning the blades once the machine is turned on, while a clutch-drive motor engages when you move a handle or throw a switch.
Wood chippers to keep your property looking great | PopSci Commerce Team | February 9, 2021 | Popular-ScienceToday, Shop Pay’s payment option is used by a number of top direct-to-consumer and newer brands, including Allbirds, Kith, Beyond Yoga, Kylie Cosmetics, Jonathan Adler, Loeffler Randall, Blueland and others.
Shopify expands its payment option, Shop Pay, to its merchants on Facebook and Instagram | Sarah Perez | February 9, 2021 | TechCrunch
In 2009, Lee Daniels announced that he would direct Selma and that Liam Neeson would play President Lyndon Johnson.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’ | Gary May | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTIf someone wants to ensure a direct and secure connection, no entity, whether a hotel or otherwise, should be able to block it.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security | Kyle Chayka | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe twang we hear as emblematic of white country music is actually the direct descendant of black folk music banjo.
Idiocies multiply in direct proportion to the accumulating legal rigidities.
Today they are more direct, especially in many conflict regions of the world.
ISIS, Boko Haram, and the Growing Role of Human Trafficking in 21st Century Terrorism | Louise I. Shelley | December 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTEach religion claims that its own Bible is the direct revelation of God, and is the only true Bible teaching the only true faith.
God and my Neighbour | Robert BlatchfordThe steamboat of 1809 and the steam locomotive of 1830 were the direct result of what had gone before.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice | Stephen LeacockIt was a direct lie to tell the Austrian commander that an armistice had been arranged and the bridge ceded to the French.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonI suppose that to most men such a warning would be a direct incitement to make the attempt.
Uncanny Tales | VariousEven the policeman who is paid to direct you, replies to your inquiry with the shortest and gruffest monosyllable that will do.
Glances at Europe | Horace Greeley
British Dictionary definitions for direct
/ (dɪˈrɛkt, daɪ-) /
to regulate, conduct, or control the affairs of
(also intr) to give commands or orders with authority to (a person or group): he directed them to go away
to tell or show (someone) the way to a place
to aim, point, or cause to move towards a goal
to address (a letter, parcel, etc)
to address (remarks, words, etc): to direct comments at someone
(also intr) to provide guidance to (actors, cameramen, etc) in the rehearsal of a play or the filming of a motion picture
(also intr)
to conduct (a piece of music or musicians), usually while performing oneself
another word (esp US) for conduct (def. 9)
without delay or evasion; straightforward: a direct approach
without turning aside; uninterrupted; shortest; straight: a direct route
without intervening persons or agencies; immediate: a direct link
honest; frank; candid: a direct answer
(usually prenominal) precise; exact: a direct quotation
diametrical: the direct opposite
in an unbroken line of descent, as from father to son over succeeding generations: a direct descendant
(of government, decisions, etc) by or from the electorate rather than through representatives
logic maths (of a proof) progressing from the premises to the conclusion, rather than eliminating the possibility of the falsehood of the conclusion: Compare indirect proof
astronomy moving from west to east on the celestial sphere: Compare retrograde (def. 4a)
of or relating to direct current
(of a secondary induced current) having the same direction as the primary current
music
(of motion) in the same direction: See motion (def. 9)
(of an interval or chord) in root position; not inverted
directly; straight: he went direct to the office
Origin of direct
1Derived forms of direct
- directness, noun
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
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