directly

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Pronunciation

• IPA: /dɪˈɹɛk(t)li/, /daɪˈɹɛk(t)li/

Adverb

directly

1. In a direct manner; in a straight line or course.

   He drove directly to the office, and didn't stop off at the petrol station.

2. In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct means.

   I'm sick of asking you to fire him, I'll just do it directly.

3. Plainly, without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms.

   I'm going to tell Natalie directly that I love her.

   To put it more directly: he's not 'made redundant' but sacked.

4. Exactly; just.

   It's directly across the street.

5. Straightforwardly; honestly.

   He told me directly that he'd cheated on me, and how sorry he was for it.

6. (dated) Immediately.
7. (South Midlands) Soon; next; when it becomes convenient.

   We'll go to the store directly, but first I need to finish sweeping.

Synonyms

• (in a straight line or course) straightwise, undeviatingly
• (without circumlocution or ambiguity) bluntly, clearly, downrightly, unambiguously; see also Thesaurus:explicitly
• (exactly) accurately, precisely, slap bang; see also Thesaurus:exactly
• (straightforwardly) frankly, truthfully
• (immediately) forthwith, now, tout de suite; see also Thesaurus:immediately
• (soon) betimes, presently, shortly; see also Thesaurus:soon

Antonyms

• indirectly

Translations

• French: directement
• German: direkt, gerade
• Portuguese: diretamente
• Russian: пря́мо
• Spanish: directamente, en derechura

Translations

• German: unmittelbar
• Portuguese: diretamente
• Russian: непосре́дственно

Translations

• Portuguese: diretamente
• Russian: пря́мо

Translations

• Russian: то́чно

Translations

• Russian: пря́мо

Translations

• Russian: ско́ро

Conjunction

1. As soon as; immediately.
   • 1982, Lawrence Durrell, Constance, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 725:

     Tenderly, reluctantly, he took his leave of her, promising that he would contact her directly he got back, perhaps in ten days or so.

   • 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Fourth Estate 2010, p. 463:

     He is to go to Calais, directly this is over, to replace Lord Berners as governor [...].

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