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Definitions for Direct

[1] to manage or guide by advice, helpful information, instruction, etc.: He directed the company through a difficult time.
[2] to regulate the course of; control: History is directed by a small number of great men and women.
[3] to administer; manage; supervise: She directs the affairs of the estate.
[4] to give authoritative instructions to; command; order or ordain: I directed him to leave the room.
[5] to serve as a director in the production or performance of (a musical work, play, motion picture, etc.).
[6] to guide, tell, or show (a person) the way to a place: I directed him to the post office.
[7] to point, aim, or send toward a place or object: to direct radio waves around the globe.
[8] to channel or focus toward a given result, object, or end (often followed by to or toward ): She directed all her energies toward the accomplishment of the work.
[9] to address (words, a speech, a written report, etc.) to a person or persons: The secretary directed his remarks to two of the committee members.
[10] to address (a letter, package, etc.) to an intended recipient.
[11] to act as a guide.
[12] to give commands or orders.
[13] to serve as the director of a play, film, orchestra, etc.
[14] proceeding in a straight line or by the shortest course; straight; undeviating; not oblique: a direct route.
[15] proceeding in an unbroken line of descent; lineal rather than collateral: a direct descendant.
[16] Mathematics . (of a proportion) containing terms of which an increase (or decrease) in one results in an increase (or decrease) in another: a term is said to be in direct proportion to another term if one increases (or decreases) as the other increases (or decreases). (of a function) the function itself, in contrast to its inverse. Compare inverse(def 2) .
[17] without intervening persons, influences, factors, etc.; immediate; personal: direct contact with the voters; direct exposure to a disease.
[18] straightforward; frank; candid: the direct remarks of a forthright individual.
[19] absolute; exact: the direct opposite.
[20] consisting exactly of the words originally used; verbatim: direct quotation.
[21] Government . of or by action of voters, which takes effect without representatives or another intervening agency, as in direct democracy .
[22] inevitable; consequential: War will be a direct result of such political action.
[23] allocated for or arising from a particular known agency, process, job, etc.: The new machine was listed by the accountant as a direct cost.
[24] Electricity . of or relating to direct current.
[25] Astronomy . moving in an orbit in the same direction as the earth in its revolution around the sun. appearing to move on the celestial sphere in the direction of the natural order of the signs of the zodiac, from west to east. Compare retrograde(def 4) .
[26] Surveying . (of a telescope) in its normal position; not inverted or transited.
[27] (of dye colors) working without the use of a mordant; substantive.
[28] in a direct manner; directly; straight: Answer me direct.
[29] to regulate, conduct, or control the affairs of
[30] (also intr) to give commands or orders with authority to (a person or group) he directed them to go away
[31] to tell or show (someone) the way to a place
[32] to aim, point, or cause to move towards a goal
[33] to address (a letter, parcel, etc)
[34] to address (remarks, words, etc) to direct comments at someone
[35] (also intr) to provide guidance to (actors, cameramen, etc) in the rehearsal of a play or the filming of a motion picture
[36] (also intr) to conduct (a piece of music or musicians), usually while performing oneself another word (esp US) for conduct (def. 9)
[37] without delay or evasion; straightforward a direct approach
[38] without turning aside; uninterrupted; shortest; straight a direct route
[39] without intervening persons or agencies; immediate a direct link
[40] honest; frank; candid a direct answer
[41] (usually prenominal) precise; exact a direct quotation
[42] diametrical the direct opposite
[43] in an unbroken line of descent, as from father to son over succeeding generations a direct descendant
[44] (of government, decisions, etc) by or from the electorate rather than through representatives
[45] logic maths (of a proof) progressing from the premises to the conclusion, rather than eliminating the possibility of the falsehood of the conclusion Compare indirect proof
[46] astronomy moving from west to east on the celestial sphere Compare retrograde (def. 4a)
[47] of or relating to direct current (of a secondary induced current) having the same direction as the primary current
[48] music (of motion) in the same direction See motion (def. 9) (of an interval or chord) in root position; not inverted
[49] directly; straight he went direct to the office

Words related to Direct

unambiguous, straightforward, sincere, unequivocal, explicit, candid, blunt, forthright, continuous, personal, immediate, control, handle, lead, conduct, keep, supervise, run, advise, operate

Words nearby Direct

dirae, dirdum, dire, dire wolf, direc. prop., direct, direct access, direct action, direct address, direct broadcast satellite, direct characterization

Origin of Direct

1325–75; Middle English direct (adj., adv.), directen (v.) (< Anglo-French ) < Latin dīrēctus, dērēctus (the latter probably the orig. form, later reanalyzed as dī- di-2), past participle of dērigere to align, straighten, guide (dē- de- + -rigere, combining form of regere to guide, rule)

Other words from Direct

di·rect·a·ble , adjective
di·rect·ness , noun
pre·di·rect , verb (used with object)
self-di·rect·ing , adjective
sem·i·di·rect , adjective
sem·i·di·rect·ness , noun

Word origin for Direct

C14: from Latin dīrectus; from dīrigere to guide, from dis- apart + regere to rule

Synonyms for Direct

blunt, candid, explicit, forthright, sincere, straightforward, unambiguous, unequivocal, bald, express, frank, open, plain, straight, absolute, categorical, downright, matter-of-fact, outspoken, person-to-person, plainspoken, point-blank, straight from the shoulder, talk turkey, unconcealed, undisguised, unreserved