EnglishEdit

EtymologyEdit

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.

PronunciationEdit

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

AdjectiveEdit

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.

SynonymsEdit

AntonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

AdverbEdit

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 2010, p. 346:
      Presumably Mary is to carry messages that she, Anne, is too delicate to convey direct.

VerbEdit

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 2001, p. 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 termsEdit

Related termsEdit

TranslationsEdit

AnagramsEdit

DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

Borrowed from Middle French direct, from Latin dīrēctus.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

direct (comparative directer, superlative directst)

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

InflectionEdit

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

AdverbEdit

direct

  1. immediately

SynonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

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

FrenchEdit

PronunciationEdit

Etymology 1Edit

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

AdjectiveEdit

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

  1. direct

NounEdit

direct m (plural directs)

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

Etymology 2Edit

From directement.

AdverbEdit

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 termsEdit
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See alsoEdit

Further readingEdit

AnagramsEdit

GermanEdit

AdjectiveEdit

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.

DeclensionEdit

NormanEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

AdjectiveEdit

direct m

  1. (Jersey) direct

Derived termsEdit

RomanianEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

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

  1. direct
  2. head-on

DeclensionEdit

AdverbEdit

direct

  1. directly
  2. straight