5 meanings, 21 uses
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1 —11 uses as in:
directly above; or buy direct from
Definition
straight (exactly where stated); or without involvement of anything in between
The 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
- A wooden bench sat directly opposite, and a line of metal lockers.Part 2 (86% in)
directly = closely
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- He didn't turn to watch the kid go; instead he focused on the body directly in front of him.Part 1 (7% in)
- Diana Leven, who had left her job as an assistant attorney general in Boston two years ago to join a department that was a little kinder and gentler, walked into the Sterling High gym and stopped beside the body of a boy who had fallen directly on the three-point line after being shot in the neck.Part 1 (14% in)
- Maine and New Hampshire were the only two states left in the country with an Executive Council-a group that acted as a direct check on the governor's power.Part 1 (24% in)
- There was chatter-it sounded like a furtive conversation-coming from the room directly below him.Part 1 (29% in)
- He looked directly at Alex.Part 1 (86% in)
- She walked toward the defense table and pointed directly at Peter, who stared steadfastly down at his lap.Part 2 (26% in)
- Dr. Wah will not only tell you about studies that have been done on children like Peter, he'll tell you how Peter was directly affected by the years and years of torment at the hands of the Sterling High School community.Part 2 (28% in)
- He was sitting directly behind his son, his eyes fixed straight on the bench.Part 2 (37% in)
- 'Doctor,' Jordan asked, 'did you ever once speak directly to Peter Houghton?'Part 2 (57% in)
- If he was, then she could have told him directly how much she wanted to kill him.Part 2 (88% in)
directly = close (without anything in between)
directly = exactly
direct = without anything in between
directly = straight (in a straight line)
directly = straight (exactly where stated; used for emphasis)
directly = straight (exactly where stated; used for emphasis)
directly = personally (without anything in between)
directly = close
directly = personally (person-to-person)
directly = personally (person-to-person)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in Nineteen Minutes.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
2 —2 uses as in:
was direct in my instructions
Definition
straightforward (uncomplicated or simple — perhaps also indicating openness and honesty)
- She talked about Angie, whose parents had split up during the school year and who had failed algebra as an indirect consequence.Part 2 (8% in)
indirect = not straightforward (incidental)
(Editor's note: 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.)
(Editor's note: 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.)
- Indirectly, Patrick realized, Peter Houghton's casualty count was still rising.Part 1 (57% in)
indirectly = incidentally (not the main thing being thought about)
(Editor's note: 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.)
(Editor's note: 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.)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in Nineteen Minutes.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
3 —4 uses as in:
directed her question to
Definition
to indicate direction; or to cause movement or focus in a direction or towards an object
The 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
- As she spoke she directed her words at Peter, and hoped he could read it as an apology.Part 2 (72% in)
directed = aimed
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- Patrick directed them each down a different hallway, and then he himself pushed through the double doors, past students who were shoving each other in an effort to get outside.Part 1 (6% in)
- They went into the main office together, and were directed down the hall to the media center.Part 1 (43% in)
- It was the flip side to the passion that made her feel as if she'd gone electric inside-just directed, negatively, at someone weak.Part 1 (65% in)
directed = sent
directed = sent
directed = focused
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in Nineteen Minutes.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
4 —1 use as in:
directed the jury to...
Definition
give instructions or commands
- As she directed the woman's husband to get behind his wife, holding her upright as she began to push, Lacy felt her pager vibrate at the waistline of her sea-blue scrubs.Part 1 (10% in)
directed = instructed
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in Nineteen Minutes.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
5 —3 uses as in:
directed the movie
Definition
supervise, control, or to be in charge of
- You can see the version everyone else sees, or you can choose the director's cut-the way he wanted you to see it, before everything else got in the way.Part 2 (91% in)
director = person in charge of making a film
(editor's note: 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.)
(editor's note: 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.)
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- The shoes of the crime scene techs squeaked on the shellacked floor as they took photographs and picked up shell casings, zipping them into plastic evidence bags. Directing them was Patrick Ducharme.Part 1 (14% in)
- The twelve members of the commission were lawyers, policemen, executive directors of victim's advocacy organizations.Part 1 (22% in)
directing = supervising
directors = supervisors (people in charge or running organizations)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in Nineteen Minutes.
Typical Usage
(best examples)