directly
Etymology

From direct + -ly.

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.
    • 1855, William Wells Brown, Sketches of Places and People Abroad, page 255:
      On arriving at the doors, and entering a long, capacious passage, our eyes became quite dazzled by the gleams of colored light which shone upon them, both directly and reflectedly.
  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; at the shortest possible distance.
    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. (chiefly, dated or dialect, including, South Midlands, Cornwall, Southern US) Soon; next; in due time; as soon as it becomes convenient.
    We'll go to the store directly, but first I need to finish sweeping.
Synonyms Antonyms Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Translations Conjunction
  1. (chiefly British) As soon as; immediately (elliptical for directly that/as/when)
    • 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Fourth Estate, published 2010, page 463:
      He is to go to Calais, directly this is over, to replace Lord Berners as governor [...].



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