direct

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Latin dīrectus, perfect passive participle of dīrigō (straighten, direct), from dis- (asunder, in pieces, apart, in two) + regō (make straight, rule). Compare dress. Doublet of derecho.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /d(a)ɪˈɹɛkt/, /dəˈɹɛkt/, /daɪ̯əˈɹɛkt/
  • (file)
  • Hyphenation: di‧rect
  • Rhymes: -ɛkt

Adjective[edit]

direct (comparative more direct, superlative most direct)

  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.
  4. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
  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.

Synonyms[edit]

Antonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Adverb[edit]

direct (comparative more direct, superlative most direct)

  1. Directly.
    • 1912, Central Provinces (India), Central Provinces District Gazetteers, page 96:
      The walls, which are fixed direct into the ground without a plinth, are made of wattle and plastered with a thin lair of mud or cowdung.
    • 2009, Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall, Fourth Estate, published 2010, page 346:
      Presumably Mary is to carry messages that she, Anne, is too delicate to convey direct.

Verb[edit]

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 to or show (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way.
    He directed me to the left-hand road.
    • 1882, John Lubbock, Flowers, Fruits and Leaves:
      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.
  5. (dated) To address (a letter) to a particular person or place.
    • 1792, Charlotte Smith, Desmond, Broadview, published 2001, page 310:
      [A]s I do not know where I shall be, and shall have my letters sent after me as soon as I do know, continue to direct hither.

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Middle French direct, from Latin dīrēctus.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

direct (comparative directer, superlative directst)

  1. direct, immediate
  2. direct, blunt, frank

Inflection[edit]

Inflection of direct
uninflected direct
inflected directe
comparative directer
positive comparative superlative
predicative/adverbial direct directer het directst
het directste
indefinite m./f. sing. directe directere directste
n. sing. direct directer directste
plural directe directere directste
definite directe directere directste
partitive directs directers

Adverb[edit]

direct

  1. immediately

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • Afrikaans: direk
  • Javindo: direk, drek
  • Papiamentu: dirèkt
  • Sranan Tongo: dièkdirèk
    • Caribbean Javanese: dirèg

French[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

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

Adjective[edit]

direct (feminine directe, masculine plural directs, feminine plural directes)

  1. direct

Noun[edit]

direct m (plural directs)

  1. (media) live broadcast, live reporting
    Synonym: live

Etymology 2[edit]

From directement.

Adverb[edit]

direct

  1. (colloquial) directly
    Si t’as pas envie d’y aller, dis-le direct.If you don't want to go, say it straight up.
Derived terms[edit]
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See also[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

German[edit]

Adjective[edit]

direct (strong nominative masculine singular directer, comparative directer, superlative am directesten)

  1. Obsolete spelling of direkt which was deprecated in 1902 following the Second Orthographic Conference of 1901.

Declension[edit]

Norman[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Adjective[edit]

direct m

  1. (Jersey) direct

Derived terms[edit]

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

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

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

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

  1. direct
  2. head-on

Declension[edit]

Adverb[edit]

direct

  1. directly
  2. straight