direct-access

American  

[dih-rekt-ak-ses, -ak-, dahy-] / dɪˈrɛktˈæk sɛs, -ˌæk-, daɪ- /

adjective

Computers.

1. pertaining to the ability to obtain data from, or place data in, external storage without the need to sequentially scan other data contained there.

2. pertaining to the method of organization and access used for a data structure in which records are located by their keys, without reference to other records that may have been previously accessed.

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direct access British  

noun

1. Also called: random access.  a method of reading data from a computer file without reading through the file from the beginning as on a disk or drum Compare sequential access

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Example Sentences

Features: Each residence has a direct-access elevator from the garage to the private foyer, wide-plank hardwood flooring, 10-foot-high ceilings, crown molding, recessed lightning and a gas fireplace with a marble surround.

From Washington Post • Jun. 25, 2015

Industry sources say that in some cases, the direct-access wire, or pipe, is essentially equipment in a locked room in a network's central data centre or in one of its local exchanges or "switches".

From The Guardian • Jun. 5, 2014

On the question of whether the UK uses direct-access pipes, Vodafone's Deadman said such a system would be illegal because Britain did not permit agencies to obtain information without a warrant.

From The Guardian • Jun. 5, 2014

The homes offer large floor plans, direct-access elevators, high ceilings, private rooftop terraces or private balconies, a home automation system, fireplaces and high-end fixtures and appliances.

From Washington Post

Matthew Schulze of the American Society for Clinical Pathology says 32 states, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, permitted some form of direct-access testing last year--up from 27 in 1999.

From Time Magazine Archive