di·rect
(dĭ-rĕkt́, dī-)
[Middle English directen, from Latin dīrigere, dīrēct-, to give direction to, dī-, dis-, apart; see dis–, + regere, to guide.]
verb: -rect·ed, -rect·ing, -rects.
transitive verb
- To manage or conduct the affairs of; regulate.
- To have or take charge of; control. See synonyms at conduct
- To give authoritative instructions to: directed the student to answer.
- To cause to move toward a goal; aim. See synonyms at aim
- To show or indicate the way for: directed us to the airport.
- To cause to move in or follow a straight course: directed their fire at the target.
- To indicate the intended recipient on (a letter, for example).
- To address or adapt (remarks, for example) to a specific person, audience, or purpose.
- To give guidance and instruction to (actors or musicians, for example) in the rehearsal and performance of a work.
- To supervise the performance of.
intransitive verb
- To give commands or directions.
- To conduct a performance or rehearsal.
adjective
- Proceeding without interruption in a straight course or line; not deviating or swerving: a direct route.
- Straightforward and candid; frank: a direct response.
- Having no intervening persons, conditions, or agencies; immediate: direct contact; direct sunlight.
- Effected by action of the voters, rather than through elected representatives or delegates: direct elections.
- Being of unbroken descent; lineal: a direct descendant of the monarch.
- Consisting of the exact words of the writer or speaker: a direct quotation; direct speech.
- Lacking compromising or mitigating elements; absolute: direct opposites.
- Mathematics Varying in the same manner as another quantity, especially increasing if another quantity increases or decreasing if it decreases.
- Astronomy Designating west-to-east motion of a planet in the same direction as the sun's movement against the stars.
- Sports Being a free kick in soccer by which a goal can be scored without the ball being touched by a second player.
adverb
- Straight; directly.
