- di|rect´ness
- di|rect «duh REHKT, dy-», verb, adjective, adverb.–v.t.1. to manage or guide; control: »
to direct a play, direct a business. A teacher directs the work of the pupils. A mounted policeman used to direct the traffic here, but now it's all signals.
SYNONYM(S): See syn. under manage. (Cf. ↑manage)2. to instruct to do something; order; command: »The policeman directed the traffic to stop.
SYNONYM(S): See syn. under command. (Cf. ↑command)3. to tell or show the way; give information about where to go or what to do: »Can you direct me to the airport? Signposts direct travelers.
4. to turn (something) straight to or at; point (to) or aim (at): »The fireman directed his hose at the flames. We should direct our efforts to a useful end.
5. to address (a letter or package) to a person or place.6. to address (words, facial expressions, or gestures) to a person: »He directed his request to the king.
–v.i.to give directions; order: »I am not directing here any longer; I have resigned.
–adj.1. without a stop or turn; straight: »a direct route. Our house is in direct line with the school. A bee makes a direct flight to the hive.
3. Figurative. without anyone or anything in between; not through others; immediate: »direct influence. The new teacher took direct charge of the library. Selling door to door is direct selling.
4. Figurative. straightforward; frank; truthful; plain: »The boy gave a direct answer. He made a direct denial of the charge of cheating.
6. of or produced by the action of the people as voters, without intermediaries or representatives: »direct elections.
7. that uses a speaker's exact words. In the sentence He said, “You're right” the words “You're right” are a direct quotation.8. Mathematics. following the natural order.9. not requiring a mordant to fix the color: »a direct dye.
10. Astronomy. (of a heavenly body or its motion) proceeding in the order of the signs of the zodiac; proceeding from west to east.–adv.directly; without deviation: »The airplane goes to Los Angeles direct, without stopping between here and there. They are able to buy direct with obvious advantages (Advertising Age).
╂[< Latin dīrēctus straight, past participle of dīrigere set straight < dis- apart + rēgere guide]–di|rect´ing|ly, adverb.–di|rect´ness, noun.Synonym Study adjective. 1, 3 Direct, immediate mean proceeding from one to another without a break. Direct implies that the line is unbroken, though there may be many steps between: »Overwork and too great strain were the direct causes of his death.
Immediate implies that there is nothing between: »A heart attack was the immediate cause of his death.
Usage Direct address is the name or descriptive term used in addressing someone. It is set off from the rest of the sentence by comma(s): Examples: My friends, I wish you would forget this night. It's all right, Mrs. Williams, for you to come into the room now.
Useful english dictionary. 2012.
