All 37 Uses of
direct
in
Great Expectations
- Tell me directly what you've been doing to wear me away with fret and fright and worrit, or I'd have you out of that corner if you was fifty Pips, and he was five hundred Gargerys.
Chpt 2 (definition 1)directly = immediately
- Answer him one question, and he'll ask you a dozen directly.
Chpt 2 (definition 1)directly = in a short time
- On every rail and gate, wet lay clammy, and the marsh mist was so thick, that the wooden finger on the post directing people to our village—a direction which they never accepted, for they never came there—was invisible to me until I was quite close under it.
Chpt 3 (definition 2)directing = pointing
- I'd do that, if I was going to be strung up to that there gallows as there is over there, directly afterwards.
Chpt 3 (definition 1)directly = in a short time
- Both were bleeding and panting and execrating and struggling; but of course I knew them both directly.
Chpt 5 (definition 1)directly = immediately
- I think it will be conceded by my most disputatious reader, that she could hardly have directed an unfortunate boy to do anything in the wide world more difficult to be done under the circumstances.
Chpt 8 (definition 3) *directed = instructed
- She had her back towards me, and held her pretty brown hair spread out in her two hands, and never looked round, and passed out of my view directly.
Chpt 8 (definition 1)directly = in a short time
- To the Three Jolly Bargemen, therefore, I directed my steps.
Chpt 10 (definition 2) *directed = aimed
- With that, we returned to her room, and sat down as before; I was beggared, as before; and again, as before, Miss Havisham watched us all the time, directed my attention to Estella's beauty, and made me notice it the more by trying her jewels on Estella's breast and hair.
Chpt 11 (definition 2)directed = pointed
- But, he was on his feet directly, and after sponging himself with a great show of dexterity began squaring again.
Chpt 11 (definition 1)directly = immediately
- "It was neither a very true nor a very polite thing to say," she remarked, directing her eyes to the ships again.
Chpt 17 (definition 2)directing = pointing
- I caught at the name directly.
Chpt 18 (definition 1) *directly = immediately
- I said (glancing at Joe, who stood looking on, motionless), that I supposed I could come directly.
Chpt 18 (definition 1)
- When I had ordered everything I wanted, I directed my steps towards Pumblechook's, and, as I approached that gentleman's place of business, I saw him standing at his door.
Chpt 19 (definition 2)directed = aimed
- I did the same; and if I had turned myself upside down before drinking, the wine could not have gone more direct to my head.
Chpt 19 (definition 1)direct = immediately
- "Tell him to take his witness away directly," said my guardian to the clerk, in extreme disgust, "and ask him what he means by bringing such a fellow as that."
Chpt 20 (definition 1)
- "Is a counting-house profitable?" I asked.
"To--do you mean to the young fellow who's in it?" he asked, in reply.
"Yes; to you."
"Why, n-no; not to me." He said this with the air of one carefully reckoning up and striking a balance. "Not directly profitable."
Chpt 22 (definition 4)directly = in a straightforward manner (an uncomplicated manner before including secondary effects)
- Lifting the latch of a gate, we passed direct into a little garden overlooking the river, where Mr. Pocket's children were playing about.
Chpt 22 (definition 4)direct = straight (without anything in between)
- Be that as it may, he had directed Mrs. Pocket to be brought up from her cradle as one who in the nature of things must marry a title, and who was to be guarded from the acquisition of plebeian domestic knowledge.
Chpt 23 (definition 3)directed = instructed
- He advised my attending certain places in London, for the acquisition of such mere rudiments as I wanted, and my investing him with the functions of explainer and director of all my studies.
Chpt 24 (definition 5) *director = supervisor (person in charge)standard suffix: The suffix "-or" often converts a verb to a noun that means "a person who." This is the pattern you see in words like actor, editor, and visitor.
- The cast was made in Newgate, directly after he was taken down.
Chpt 24 (definition 1)directly = immediately
- Wemmick's attention being thus directed to his brooch, he put down the cast, and polished the brooch with his pocket-handkerchief.
Chpt 24 (definition 2)directed = focused
- Startop, being a lively, bright young fellow, and Drummle being the exact opposite, the latter was always disposed to resent him as a direct personal affront.
Chpt 26 (definition 6)direct = clear
- The waiter (it was he who had brought up the Great Remonstrance from the Commercials, on the day when I was bound) appeared surprised, and took the earliest opportunity of putting a dirty old copy of a local newspaper so directly in my way, that I took it up and read this paragraph:
Chpt 28 (definition 4)directly = where stated (used for emphasis)
- "I heard, Miss Havisham," said I, rather at a loss, "that you were so kind as to wish me to come and see you, and I came directly."
Chpt 29 (definition 1)directly = immediately
- I have seen him so terrify a client or a witness by ceremoniously unfolding this pocket-handkerchief as if he were immediately going to blow his nose, and then pausing, as if he knew he should not have time to do it before such client or witness committed himself, that the self-committal has followed directly, quite as a matter of course.
Chpt 29 (definition 1)
- He kept his very looks to himself, and scarcely directed his eyes to Estella's face once during dinner.
Chpt 29 (definition 2)directed = pointed
- Am I right in so understanding what you have told me, as that he never referred to her, directly or indirectly, in any way?
Chpt 30 (definition 6) *directly = in a straightforward manner (clearly without any ambiguity)
- Am I right in so understanding what you have told me, as that he never referred to her, directly or indirectly, in any way?
Chpt 30 (definition 6)indirectly = in a complicated, non-obvious mannerstandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in indirectly means not and reverses the meaning of directly. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.
- It was directed to Philip Pip, Esquire, and on the top of the superscription were the words, "PLEASE READ THIS, HERE."
Chpt 44 (definition 2)directed = addressed (written to)
- This led to Mr. Wopsle's (who had never been heard of before) coming in with a star and garter on, as a plenipotentiary of great power direct from the Admiralty, to say that the Swabs were all to go to prison on the spot, and that he had brought the boatswain down the Union Jack, as a slight acknowledgment of his public services.
Chpt 47 (definition 4)direct = straight (without going anywhere else first)
- She read me what she had written; and it was direct and clear, and evidently intended to absolve me from any suspicion of profiting by the receipt of the money.
Chpt 49 (definition 6)direct = straightforward (uncomplicated)
- His expression was, 'a round score o' year ago, and a'most directly after I took up wi' Compeyson.'
Chpt 50 (definition 1)directly = immediately
- We found that a steamer for Hamburg was likely to suit our purpose best, and we directed our thoughts chiefly to that vessel.
Chpt 52 (definition 2)directed = focused
- On opening the outer door of our chambers with my key, I found a letter in the box, directed to me; a very dirty letter, though not ill-written.
Chpt 52 (definition 2)directed = addressed (written to)
- It lay directly in my way, and had been worked that day, as I saw by the tools and barrows that were lying about.
Chpt 53 (definition 4) *directly = exactly where stated (used for emphasis)
- I had gone direct to Mr. Jaggers at his private house, on my arrival over night, to retain his assistance, and Mr. Jaggers on the prisoner's behalf would admit nothing.
Chpt 55 (definition 4)direct = straight (without going anywhere else first)
Definitions:
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(1) (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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(2) (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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(3) (direct as in: directed the jury to...) give instructions or commands
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(4) (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
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(5) (direct as in: directed the movie) supervise, control, or to be in charge of
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(6) (direct as in: was direct in my instructions) straightforward (uncomplicated or simple -- perhaps also indicating openness and honesty, or little concern for others' feelings)