All 50 Uses of
direct
in
Nicholas Nickleby
- I recollect he was a jovial, ruddy, broad-faced man; that we got acquainted directly; and that we talked on all kinds of subjects, except the school, which he showed a great anxiety to avoid.†
Chpt Pref. (definition 3)
- So, the petition in favour of the bill was agreed upon, and the meeting adjourned with acclamations, and Mr Nickleby and the other directors went to the office to lunch, as they did every day at half-past one o'clock; and to remunerate themselves for which trouble, (as the company was yet in its infancy,) they only charged three guineas each man for every such attendance.†
Chpt 2 (definition 1) *
- 'Coming directly, sir.'†
Chpt 5 (definition 3)
- Mr Squeers got down at almost every stage—to stretch his legs as he said—and as he always came back from such excursions with a very red nose, and composed himself to sleep directly, there is reason to suppose that he derived great benefit from the process.†
Chpt 5 (definition 3)
- Expressing himself to this effect, Mr Squeers, who lost no opportunity of advertising gratuitously, placed his hands upon his knees, and looked at the pupils with as much benignity as he could possibly affect, while Nicholas, blushing with shame, handed round the cards as directed.
Chpt 6 (definition 2) *directed = instructed
- Landlord, pray direct a boy to keep watch outside the door—and if a green chariot passes in the direction of Grantham, to stop it instantly.'†
Chpt 6 (definition 2)
- The same pious care which enriched the abbey of St Mary, and left us, orphans, to its holy guardianship, directed that no constraint should be imposed upon our inclinations, but that we should be free to live according to our choice.†
Chpt 6 (definition 2)
- 'The holy man, who had often urged the same point before, but had never met with so direct a repulse, walked some little distance behind, with his eyes bent upon the earth, and his lips moving AS IF in prayer.†
Chpt 6 (definition 2)
- ' "Stay!" said the monk, raising his right hand in the air, and directing an angry glance by turns at Alice and the eldest sister.†
Chpt 6 (definition 2)
- 'No longer were the friar's eyes directed to the earth; they were cast abroad, and roamed from point to point, as if the gloom and desolation of the scene found a quick response in his own bosom.
Chpt 6 (definition 3)directed = focused or pointed
- When he blew this bugle, four-and-twenty other gentlemen of inferior rank, in Lincoln green a little coarser, and russet boots with a little thicker soles, turned out directly: and away galloped the whole train, with spears in their hands like lacquered area railings, to hunt down the boars, or perhaps encounter a bear: in which latter case the baron killed him first, and greased his whiskers with him afterwards.
Chpt 6 (definition 4)directly = immediately
- Mr Squeers, having bolted the door to keep it shut, ushered him into a small parlour scantily furnished with a few chairs, a yellow map hung against the wall, and a couple of tables; one of which bore some preparations for supper; while, on the other, a tutor's assistant, a Murray's grammar, half-a-dozen cards of terms, and a worn letter directed to Wackford Squeers, Esquire, were arranged in picturesque confusion.†
Chpt 7 (definition 2)
- It was directed to himself, was written upon very dirty paper, and in such cramped and crippled writing as to be almost illegible.
Chpt 7 (definition 3)directed = addressed (written to) or aimed
- If your daughter is disposed to try after the situation, I'll take her there directly.'
Chpt 10 (definition 4)directly = immediately
- Having complimented Ralph to this effect, the gentleman rang the bell, and stared at Miss Nickleby until it was answered, when he left off to bid the man desire his mistress to come directly; after which, he began again, and left off no more until Madame Mantalini appeared.
Chpt 10 (definition 4)
- 'Yes, ma'am,' replied Kate, not daring to look up; for she felt that the eyes of the odious man in the dressing-gown were directed towards her.
Chpt 10 (definition 3)directed = aimed or focused
- 'We shall be ready directly,' said Kate.
Chpt 11 (definition 4)directly = in a short time
- But the notion of Ralph Nickleby having directed it to be done, tickled his fancy so much, that he could not refrain from cracking all his ten fingers in succession: at which performance Mrs Nickleby was rather startled at first, but supposing it to be in some remote manner connected with the gout, did not remark upon.†
Chpt 11 (definition 2)
- Having a half-perception of what had occurred in the course of the evening, she changed her mode of making herself agreeable, and proceeded on the indirect tack.†
Chpt 12 (definition 4)
- Without returning any direct reply, Miss Squeers, all at once, fell into a paroxysm of spiteful tears, and exclaimed that she was a wretched, neglected, miserable castaway.†
Chpt 12 (definition 2)
- 'We shall be down directly, sir,' replied Nicholas.
Chpt 13 (definition 4)directly = in a short time
- 'Down directly!' said Squeers.
Chpt 13 (definition 4) *directly = immediately; or in a short time
- 'Ah! you had better be down directly, or I'll be down upon some of you in less.
Chpt 13 (definition 4)directly = in a short time
- When he had cooled sufficiently to be enabled to give his present circumstances some little reflection, they did not appear in a very encouraging light; he had only four shillings and a few pence in his pocket, and was something more than two hundred and fifty miles from London, whither he resolved to direct his steps, that he might ascertain, among other things, what account of the morning's proceedings Mr Squeers transmitted to his most affectionate uncle.†
Chpt 13 (definition 2)
- 'Morleena, my dear, run down and let your uncle in, and kiss him directly you get the door open.†
Chpt 14 (definition 3)
- Newman reflected for a few seconds, and then hurried away, muttering that he would be back directly.
Chpt 14 (definition 4)directly = in a short time
- The attention of the company was then directed, by a natural transition, to the little girl who had had the audacity to burn her hair off, and who, after receiving sundry small slaps and pushes from the more energetic of the ladies, was mercifully sent home: the ninepence, with which she was to have been rewarded, being escheated to the Kenwigs family.†
Chpt 15 (definition 2)
- Thinking no longer of his own misfortunes, but wondering what could be those of the beautiful girl he had seen, Nicholas, with many wrong turns, and many inquiries, and almost as many misdirections, bent his steps towards the place whither he had been directed.†
Chpt 16 (definition 2)
- Miss Knag of course replied, that to forget anything Madame Mantalini had directed, was a moral impossibility; and that lady, dispensing a general good-morning among her assistants, sailed away.†
Chpt 17 (definition 2)
- 'They are all come, and dinner will be announced directly afterwards—that's all.'
Chpt 19 (definition 4)directly = immediately
- The latter gentleman was obliging enough to direct general attention towards her.†
Chpt 19 (definition 2)
- 'We'll have a new show-piece out directly,' said the manager.
Chpt 22 (definition 4)directly = immediately
- I'll open the door directly, if you'll wait an instant.†
Chpt 24 (definition 3)
- Almost immediately afterwards, Master Percy Crummles entered with a letter, which had arrived by the General Post, and was directed to his gracious mother; at sight of the superscription whereof, Mrs Crummles exclaimed, 'From Henrietta Petowker, I do declare!' and instantly became absorbed in the contents.
Chpt 25 (definition 3)directed = aimed or focused
- Without stopping to inquire whether the intervening day appeared to Nicholas to consist of the usual number of hours of the ordinary length, it may be remarked that, to the parties more directly interested in the forthcoming ceremony, it passed with great rapidity, insomuch that when Miss Petowker awoke on the succeeding morning in the chamber of Miss Snevellicci, she declared that nothing should ever persuade her that that really was the day which was to behold a change in her…†
Chpt 25 (definition 3)
- There was some singing, too, from Miss Ledrook and Miss Bravassa, and very likely there might have been more, if the fly-driver, who stopped to drive the happy pair to the spot where they proposed to take steamboat to Ryde, had not sent in a peremptory message intimating, that if they didn't come directly he should infallibly demand eighteen-pence over and above his agreement.†
Chpt 25 (definition 3)
- Ralph ran over this brief summary of Kate's condition as if it were merely passing through his own mind, and he had no intention to speak aloud; but the shrewd sly look which he directed at his companion as he delivered it, gave this poor assumption the lie.
Chpt 26 (definition 3)directed = aimed, or intended for
- It was, indeed, that well-intentioned lady, who, having received an offer for the empty house in the city directed to the landlord, had brought it post-haste to Mr Nickleby without delay.†
Chpt 26 (definition 2)
- I'll be with you directly.'†
Chpt 26 (definition 3)
- You needn't direct your glances towards me,' said Mrs Wititterly, with a sudden burst of spite; 'I am not Sir Mulberry, no, nor Lord Frederick Verisopht, Miss Nickleby, nor am I Mr Pyke, nor Mr Pluck either.'†
Chpt 28 (definition 2)
- But the intense eagerness and joy depicted in the face of Newman Noggs, which was suffused with perspiration; the surprising energy with which he directed a constant succession of blows towards a particular panel about five feet eight from the ground, and still worked away in the most untiring and persevering manner, would have sufficiently explained to the attentive observer, that his imagination was thrashing, to within an inch of his life, his body's most active employer, Mr Ralph…†
Chpt 28 (definition 2)
- It was directed to blank Johnson, Esq., by favour of Augustus Folair, Esq.; and the astonishment of Nicholas was in no degree lessened, when he found it to be couched in the following laconic terms:— "Mr Lenville presents his kind regards to Mr Johnson, and will feel obliged if he will inform him at what hour tomorrow morning it will be most convenient to him to meet Mr L. at the Theatre, for the purpose of having his nose pulled in the presence of the company."
Chpt 29 (definition 3)directed = addressed (written to) or aimed
- Nicholas sat himself down, directly opposite to the party, and, summoning the waiter, paid his bill.
Chpt 32 (definition 5) *directly = exactly
- He was giddy and sick, but staggered to his feet directly, roused by the loud shouts of the men who were tearing up the street, and screaming to those ahead to clear the way.†
Chpt 32 (definition 3)
- The general attention had been entirely directed from himself to the person in the carriage, and he was quite alone.†
Chpt 32 (definition 2)
- You must leave here with me directly; you should not have slept here last night, but that I knew all this too late.†
Chpt 33 (definition 3)
- He closed the bargain directly it reached his ears, and Ralph told the money out upon the table.†
Chpt 34 (definition 3)
- The least excitement, the slightest surprise—she fainted away directly.
Chpt 35 (definition 4)directly = immediately; or as soon as
- I have heard her say, often and often, that when she was a young lady, and before she was married, she was turning a corner into Oxford Street one day, when she ran against her own hairdresser, who, it seems, was escaping from a bear;—the mere suddenness of the encounter made her faint away directly.
Chpt 35 (definition 4)
- 'Brother Charles, my dear fellow,' replied a voice from the inside, so like in its tones to that which had just spoken, that Nicholas started, and almost thought it was the same, 'don't ask me such a question, but come in directly.'†
Chpt 35 (definition 3)
Definitions:
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(1) (direct as in: directed the movie) supervise, control, or to be in charge of
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(2) (direct as in: directed the jury to...) give instructions or commands
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(3) (direct as in: directed her question to) to indicate direction; or to cause movement or focus in a direction or towards an objectThe exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "intentionally directed fire at unarmed civilians" -- aimed a gun
- "directed the question to her" -- aimed a question
- "directed her north" -- pointed in a particular direction
- "directed attention to the 3rd paragraph" -- focused attention on a particular object
- "The sound of her voice directed him to the kitchen." -- guided or gave directions to someone to help them move to a particular place
- "She directed him to the airport." -- gave directions to send someone to a particular place
- "She directed the boat north." -- steered it
- "directed the letter to" -- send a letter to a particular person by putting a name and address on it
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(4) (direct as in: depart directly) without delay, or in the quickest manner, or without going somewhere else firsteditor's notes: You may see the term direct flight used in a technical manner that is not as quick as a non-stop flight. In technical usage, a direct flight from Los Angeles to New York could stop at a city on the way, but you would not get off the plane during the stop.
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(5) (direct as in: directly above; or buy direct from) straight (exactly where stated); or without involvement of anything in betweenThe exact meaning of this sense of direct is subject to its context. For example:
- "The road runs directly to Las Vegas." -- straight (without varying from a straight line)
- "It was a direct hit." -- exact
- "The plant is in direct sunlight." -- unobstructed (without anything in between)
- "She wants a direct meeting with him." -- personal (without other people in between)
- "She paid direct attention to what he was reading." -- close
- "a direct gaze" -- straight, steady, or focused--not a brief glance taken while generally looking at other things; not a sideways look