direct
/daɪˈɹɛkt/ adjective, adverb, verb
Forms directs directing directed
- adjective Proceeding without deviation or interruption.
- adjective Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end. “the most direct route between two buildings”
- adjective Straightforward; sincere.
- adjective Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
- adjective In the line of descent; not collateral. “a descendant in the direct line”
- adjective (astronomy) In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; said of the motion of a celestial body.
- adjective (political science) Pertaining to, or effected immediately by, action of the people through their votes instead of through one or more representatives or delegates. “direct nomination; direct legislation”
- adjective (aviation, travel) Having a single flight number.
- adverb Directly.
- verb To manage, control, steer. “to direct the affairs of a nation or the movements of an army”
- verb To aim (something) at (something else). “They directed their fire towards the men on the wall.”
- verb To point out to or show (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way; to refer. “He directed me to the left-hand road.”
- verb To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order. “She directed them to leave immediately.”
- verb (dated) To address (a letter) to a particular person or place.
Synonyms
immediate explicit patent univocal point target aim place lead take conduct guide send train take aim calculate steer maneuver manoeuver manoeuvre head channelize channelise address mastermind engineer organize organise orchestrate unmediated
Antonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin dīrēctus, perfect passive participle of dīrigō (“straighten, direct”), from dis- (“asunder, in pieces, apart, in two”) + regō (“make straight, rule”). Compare dress. Doublet of derecho.
For the meaning development compare with Russian напра́вить (naprávitʹ, “to direct, to turn, to aim, to level, to point”), отпра́вить (otprávitʹ, “to send, to dispatch, to forward”) connected with пра́вить (právitʹ, “to govern, to rule, to drive, to steer”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end; as, a direct line; direct means.
- adjective Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.
- verb To arrange in a direct or straight line, as against a mark, or towards a goal; to point; to aim; as, to direct an arrow or a piece of ordnance.
- verb To point out or show to (any one), as the direct or right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way; as, he directed me to the left-hand road.
Etymology [L. directus, p. p. of dirigere to direct: cf. F. direct. See Dress, and cf. Dirge.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “direct”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details