All 17 Uses of

direct
in
Childhood's End

As pygmies may threaten a giant, so those angry fists were directed against the sky fifty kilometres above his head-against the gleaming silver cloud that was the flagship of the Overlord fleet.
Chpt 2 *

directed = aimed or focused

Perhaps he felt the need of direct contact with one human being at least: perhaps he realized that Stormgren needed this form of personal support If this was the explanation, the Secretary-General appreciated it: he did not mind if the Freedom League referred to him contemptuously as "Karellen's office-boy".
Chpt 2

direct = personal or actual (with nothing in between)

We believe that sooner or later Earth will have to fight for its independence-but we realize that the struggle can only be by indirect methods such as sabotage and disobedience.
Chpt 3 *

indirect = not straightforward (complicated)

standard prefix: The prefix "in-" in indirect means not and reverses the meaning of direct. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.

Direct sunlight was painful to them, and they never stayed in it for more than a few seconds.
Chpt 6

direct = unobstructed (with nothing in between)

There were some goods that certain countries still made best, but they went directly by air to their destinations.
Chpt 9 *

directly = straight (without delay or interruption)

We're ruled by a Council of eight directors, representing Production, Power, Social Engineering, Art, Economics, Science, Sport, and Philosophy.†
Chpt 15

directors = members of a board that oversee the affairs of a corporation or other institution; or supervisors (people in charge)

The chair's held by each of the directors in rotation for a year at a time.†
Chpt 15

Only once had he taken any direct action against a recalcitrant government.†
Chpt 2

There was not one of his direct subordinates who did not possess much more luxurious quarters, but this place was ample for Stormgren's needs.†
Chpt 3

The thought of approaching the Supervisor directly filled him with dismay, but there seemed no alternative.†
Chpt 3

I'm sure the Overlord's own apparatus won't use anything so crude as an actual physical screen-they'll probably materialize images directly in space.†
Chpt 4

The evidence was still indirect, but he accepted it without question.†
Chpt 4

indirect = not straightforward

standard prefix: The prefix "in-" in indirect means not and reverses the meaning of direct. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.

In future, all my dealings with Earth will be in-direct and the office of Secretary-General can revert to something resembling its original form.†
Chpt 4

With the energies of mankind directed into constructive channels, the face of the world had been remade.†
Chpt 6

Jet reaction, used both directly and in the more subtle form of boundary layer control, drove his flyers forward and held them in the air.†
Chpt 6

Yes, without questioning the child directly.†
Chpt 18

In the past, we know, it has attempted to act directly upon the minds of other races, and to influence their cultural development.†
Chpt 23

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Best Example Sentences
From Other Sources
Grouped by 3 Meanings

Definitions:

(1) (direct as in: directly above; or buy direct)
without anything in between -- whether in time, space, or involvement
(2) (direct as in: gave a direct answer)
straightforward -- often clear, open, or blunt in speech or behavior
(3) (direct as in: direct a question; or direct a film)
to guide, aim, or manage -- such as actions, attention, speech, a project or company
(4) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
meaning too rare to warrant focus:

Direct can take on many specialized meanings not included in this dictionary.
As an adjective or adverb, direct usually means there is a clear or straight connection with nothing in the way. It can also mean easy to understand, without confusion. For example:
- Direct action – taking quick and clear steps to make something happen
- Direct descendant – someone who comes straight from an ancestor, like a grandchild
- Direct line (in genealogy) – a family connection that goes straight from one generation to the next
- Direct deposit – money that is sent straight into a bank account
- Direct object – in a sentence, the person or thing that receives the action of the verb
- Direct kick – in sports, a kick where the ball can go straight into the goal without touching another player
- Direct cost – a cost that comes straight from making a product or providing a service
- Direct investment – putting money directly into a company or project
- Direct elections – when people vote for leaders without going through an extra step
- Direct current (DC) – a type of electric flow that moves in only one direction
As a verb, most all of the senses of direct involve giving orders or aiming.

Page Numbers by Book Edition

direct in Childhood's End

direct
in
Childhood's End