English
direct
Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dīrectus, perfect passive participle of dīrigō ("straighten, direct"), from dis- ("asunder, in pieces, apart, in two") + regō ("make straight, rule").

For the meaning development compare with Russian напра́вить (naprávitʹ, “to direct, to turn, to aim, to level, to point”), отпра́вить ("to send, to dispatch, to forward") connected with пра́вить ("to govern, to rule, to drive, to steer").

Pronunciation
  • IPA: /d(a)ɪˈɹɛkt/, /dəˈɹɛkt/, /daɪ̯əˈɹɛkt/
Adjective

direct

  1. Proceeding without deviation or interruption.
  2. 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
  3. Straightforward; sincere.
    • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene ii]:
      Be even and direct with me.
  4. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
    • 1689 December (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], chapter 1, in Two Treatises of Government: […], London: […] Awnsham Churchill, […], →OCLC ↗:
      He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words.
    • 1827, Henry Hallam, “On the English Constitution from Henry VII. to Mary”, in The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC ↗, page 48 ↗:
      Nor did the government scruple a direct and avowed interference with elections.
  5. In the line of descent; not collateral.
    a descendant in the direct line
  6. (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.
  7. (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
  8. (aviation, travel) Having a single flight number.
  9. (mathematics, logic, of a proof) Not employing the law of the excluded middle or argument by contradiction. Antonyms: indirect
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Adverb

direct

  1. Directly.
    • 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Fourth Estate, published 2010, page 346:
      Presumably Mary is to carry messages that she, Anne, is too delicate to convey direct.
Verb

direct (directs, present participle directing; simple past and past participle directed)

  1. To manage, control, steer.
    to direct the affairs of a nation or the movements of an army
  2. To aim (something) at (something else).
    They directed their fire towards the men on the wall.
    He directed his question to the room in general.
  3. To point out to or show (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way.
    He directed me to the left-hand road.
    • 1882, John Lubbock, Flowers, Fruits and Leaves:
      the next points to which I will direct your attention
  4. To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order.
    She directed them to leave immediately.
    • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merry Wiues of Windsor”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act IV, scene ii]:
      I'll first direct my men what they shall do.
  5. (dated) To address (a letter) to a particular person or place.
Related terms Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations

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