directly - direct

Directly is most commonly used to say that something does not involve an intermediate stage or action, or another person.

They denied having negotiated directly or indirectly with the terrorists.

They have their cash directly from the government.

I shall be writing to you directly in the next few days.

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Instead of saying that you receive something `directly' from someone, you can say that you receive it direct from them.

Other money comes direct from industry.

If it does emerge that you are out of pocket, you will be reimbursed direct.

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Similarly, instead of saying that one person writes `directly' to another, you can say that they write direct to them.

I should have written direct to the manager.

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◊ movement

Directly is also used to talk about movement. If you go directly to a place, you go there by the shortest possible route, without calling anywhere else.

I had expected to spend a few days in New York, then go directly to my place in Cardiff-by-the-Sea.

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You can also say that someone goes direct to a place.

Why hadn't he gone direct to the lounge?

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◊ WARNING

If you can travel to a place by one plane, train, or bus, without changing to another plane, train, or bus, you do not say that you can go there `directly'. You say that you can go there direct.

You can't go to Manchester direct. You have to change trains at Birmingham.

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◊ looking at something

If you look straight at a person or thing, you can say that you are looking directly at them.

She turned her head and looked directly at them.

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◊ position

If something is directly above, below, opposite, or in front of something else, it is exactly in that position.

The sun was almost directly overhead.

The cabin occupied by the Count and Antonio was directly opposite across a passageway.

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◊ saying when something happens

You can also use directly to say that something will happen very soon. This is a rather old-fashioned use.

She's in a meeting at the moment but she will be here directly.

We'll be up directly. Just take your own things with you.

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If you say that you will do something directly, you mean that you will do it immediately. This is also a rather old-fashioned use.

I'll move back into my old room directly.

Harrowby asked me to show you to his room directly.

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If something happens directly after something else, it happens immediately after it.

It's a good idea have a rest directly after lunch.

Honeysuckle should be pruned directly after flowering.

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In British English (but not American English), directly is also used as a conjunction to say that one thing happens immediately after another.

Directly he heard the door close, he picked up the telephone.

Directly I saw the word Pankot it occurred to me that you must have known Colonel Layton and his family.

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