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Direct   /dərˈɛkt/  /daɪrˈɛkt/  /dɪrˈɛkt/   Listen
adjective
Direct  adj.  
1.
Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end; as, a direct line; direct means. "What is direct to, what slides by, the question."
2.
Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken. "Be even and direct with me."
3.
Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous. "He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words." "A direct and avowed interference with elections."
4.
In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.
5.
(Astron.) 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.
6.
(Political Science) Pertaining to, or effected immediately by, action of the people through their votes instead of through one or more representatives or delegates; as, direct nomination, direct legislation.
Direct action.
(a)
(Mach.) See Direct-acting.
(b)
(Trade unions) See Syndicalism, below.
Direct discourse (Gram.), the language of any one quoted without change in its form; as, he said "I can not come;" correlative to indirect discourse, in which there is change of form; as, he said that he could not come. They are often called respectively by their Latin names, oratio directa, and oratio obliqua.
Direct evidence (Law), evidence which is positive or not inferential; opposed to circumstantial evidence, or indirect evidence. This distinction, however, is merely formal, since there is no direct evidence that is not circumstantial, or dependent on circumstances for its credibility.
Direct examination (Law), the first examination of a witness in the orderly course, upon the merits.
Direct fire (Mil.), fire, the direction of which is perpendicular to the line of troops or to the parapet aimed at.
Direct process (Metal.), one which yields metal in working condition by a single process from the ore.
Direct tax, a tax assessed directly on lands, etc., and polls, distinguished from taxes on merchandise, or customs, and from excise.


verb
Direct  v. t.  (past & past part. directed; pres. part. directing)  
1.
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.
2.
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. "The Lord direct your into the love of God." "The next points to which I will direct your attention."
3.
To determine the direction or course of; to cause to go on in a particular manner; to order in the way to a certain end; to regulate; to govern; as, to direct the affairs of a nation or the movements of an army. "I will direct their work in truth."
4.
To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order; as, he directed them to go. "I 'll first direct my men what they shall do."
5.
To put a direction or address upon; to mark with the name and residence of the person to whom anything is sent; to superscribe; as, to direct a letter.
Synonyms: To guide; lead; conduct; dispose; manage; regulate; order; instruct; command.


Direct  v. i.  To give direction; to point out a course; to act as guide. "Wisdom is profitable to direct."


noun
Direct  n.  (Mus.) A character placed at the end of a staff on the line or space of the first note of the next staff, to apprise the performer of its situation.





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Direct" Quotes from Famous Books



... trousers on, exposed to view—an unusual spectacle to his landlady, who had, in fact, scarcely ever known him in bed at so late an hour before. He lay as still as a mouse. Mrs. Squallop, after glancing with surprise at his legs, happening to direct her eyes towards the window, beheld a small bottle standing there—only half of whose dark contents were remaining. Oh gracious!—of course it must be POISON, and Mr. Titmouse must be dead!—In a sudden fright she dropped the kettle, plucked the ...
— Ten Thousand a-Year. Volume 1. • Samuel Warren
... was elaborately affixing a stamp to a letter. At the sight of her he became rigid and a singularly bright shade of pink. She made herself serenely unaware of his existence, though it may be it was his presence that sent her by the field detour instead of by the direct path up ...
— Ann Veronica • H. G. Wells
... in her mind was whether any great saint had ever asked such a question of Him who to her was only "holy Mary's Son." Of course it would have to be asked through Mary. No one, not even the greatest saint, considered Maude, had ever spoken direct to Him, except in a vision. The next remark of the Countess ...
— The White Rose of Langley - A Story of the Olden Time • Emily Sarah Holt
... upon whom rest the biggest burdens did not exist. But now—and no beautiful words can make me change my opinion on that point—an entirely independent policy has become unthinkable, because the only path which remains open to Vienna leads by way of Berlin. Berlin will henceforward direct our policy." ...
— Independent Bohemia • Vladimir Nosek
... had been carefully planned and executed at a late hour on a deserted street, it was popularly believed that very little direct testimony would be brought out, and that a conviction, therefore, would rest mainly upon circumstantial evidence; but as the trial progressed the case against the prisoners developed unexpected strength. Had Donnelly fallen at the first volley, his assailants would, in all ...
— The Net • Rex Beach


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