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direct

direct [ di rékt, dī rékt ]


verb  (3rd person present singular directs, present participle directing, past and past participle directed)
Definition:
 
1. transitive verb supervise somebody: to organize and control the work of an organization or a group of people
I found her directing a team of rescue workers.

2. transitive verb instruct somebody: to tell somebody to do something ( formal )
The medicine should be taken only as directed.

3. transitive verb focus attention on something: to focus attention or concentrate activities on something
Please direct your attention towards the figures at the right of the screen.

4. transitive verb aim or send something: to aim, point, or send something in a particular direction
Direct the extinguisher at the base of the flames.

5. transitive verb address letter: to write an address on something to be delivered
The envelope was directed to our offices.

6. transitive verb give somebody directions: to tell somebody how to get to a place
Can you direct me to the station?

7. transitive verb address comments to somebody: to say something to somebody specifically
The remarks were directed to his sister.

8. transitive and intransitive verb supervise films or plays: to be responsible for supervising the creative aspects of a film, play, or television programme, giving instructions and guidance to the actors and other people involved
He has directed several films.

9. transitive verb North America music 
Same as  conductv (sense 4)




adjective 
Definition:
 
1. not stopping or deviating: going straight from one place or point to another
a direct flight from Paris to Miami

2. immediate: lacking the influence of any other factors
No direct link between the two events has been established.

3. personal: in which no person, action, or process intervenes
We are in direct contact with them.

4. straightforward: easy to understand or respond to
The author makes a direct appeal to our emotions.

5. precise: having the characteristics of accuracy and precision
a direct quotation

6. immediately related: connected by a straight and unbroken line of descent from parent to child
a direct descendant of George Washington

7. complete or exact: showing complete contradiction or opposition
Their conclusions were in direct contradiction to ours.

8. politics directly involving electorate: involving participation in government from the electorate rather than through electoral representatives
direct democracy

9. mathematics logic working from premise to conclusion: working immediately from the premise to the conclusion in proving something

10. astronomy moving west to east: moving from west to east as observed from celestial north



adverb 
Definition:
 
1. straight, without diversion: straight from one place or person to another, without a stop or diversion
You can fly direct from Amsterdam to Chicago.

2. directly: by an immediate connection, without somebody or something intervening
You can dial Calcutta direct.

[14th century. < Latin directus, past participle of dirigere 'set straight, guide']

directness noun

Word History

The Latin word dirigere 'to set straight, guide' from which direct is derived, is also the source of Englishaddress,dirge,dirigible, anddress.


Word Key: Synonyms

See guide.

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