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”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪˈɹɛkt/, /daɪˈɹɛkt/, /dəˈɹɛkt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛkt
• Hyphenation: di‧rect

Adjective

direct (comparative directer, superlative directest)

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.
   • Shakespeare

     Be even and direct with me.

4. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
   • John Locke

     He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words.

   • Hallam

     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.

Adverb

direct (comparative more direct, superlative most direct)

1. Directly.
   • 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Fourth Estate 2010, p. 346:

     Presumably Mary is to carry messages that she, Anne, is too delicate to convey direct.

Verb

direct (third-person singular simple present 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 or show to (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way.

   He directed me to the left-hand road.

   • Lubbock

     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.

   • Shakespeare

     I'll first direct my men what they shall do.

5. (dated) To put a direction or address upon; to mark with the name and residence of the person to whom anything is sent.

   to direct a letter

Anagrams

• Credit, credit, triced

Pronunciation

• audio

  (file)

Adjective

direct (comparative directer, superlative directst)

1. direct

Adverb

direct

1. immediately

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /di.ʁɛkt/

• Audio

  (file)

• Homophones: directe, directes, directs

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin dīrectus. Doublet of droit, which was inherited.

Etymology 2

From directement.

Anagrams

• crédit
• décrit
• dicter

Further reading

• “direct” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin dīrectus, perfect passive participle of dīrigō, dīrigere (“straighten, direct”). Compare the inherited drait, drouait.

Adjective

direct m

1. (Jersey) direct

Etymology

Borrowed from French direct, Latin directus. Compare the inherited doublet drept.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /diˈrekt/

Adjective

direct m, n (feminine singular directă, masculine plural direcți, feminine and neuter plural directe)

1. direct
2. head-on

Adverb

direct

1. directly
2. straight