4 meanings, 53 uses
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1 —1 use as in:
depart directly
Definition
without delay, or in the quickest manner, or without going somewhere else first
- Hodge had gone directly to the car with him, and there, some distance from the honking and whirring of the carnival machines, the oceanic murmur of the crowd, he had said, "Luke know you came here?"3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (44% in)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Sunlight Dialogues.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
2 —22 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
- "That's not directly related—"13 — Nah ist—und schwer zu fassen der Gott (33% in)
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- I'm directly responsible for every man in my department, and for the welfare of every man, woman, and child in the City of Batavia.2 — When the Exorcist Shall Go to the House of the Patient... (51% in)
- He'd gone there it must be a hundred times before and since, but that time stood out in his mind even now—the gleam of the polished bars directly in the path of the morning sun, the distinct grillwork of shadows in the cell falling away toward the canvas pallet and the metal John and the boy.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (9% in)
- Only a small patch of the wide, sloping lawn was mowed, a square directly in front of the balustered and pillared porch.4 — Mama (13% in)
- And no doubt it will always remain so, for all the labors of psychologists, sociologists, criminologists, and so on, and for all the honest effort of those most directly involved in the problem—law-enforcement agencies themselves.5 — Hunting Wild Asses (1% in)
- Directly under her eyes he palmed the cigarette, made it reappear, palmed it, made it appear, and continued to do it, over and over, mechanical.5 — Hunting Wild Asses (48% in)
- Directly in front of his house, in the dappled shadows under the maple trees, by the sidewalk, there was a car—not hidden, though not out in the glare of the streetlamp either—impossible to miss except by a trick of one's vision.5 — Hunting Wild Asses (98% in)
- Danny's and Madeline's voices came from outside now, and when he pulled back the plastic curtain he found he could see them, in the driveway almost directly below him.8 — The Kleppmann File (91% in)
- Another time a truck plunged slowly and solemnly over the curb directly in front of him and there, without a sound, turned over, like an elephant falling dead with a heart attack.9 — "Like a robber, I shall proceed according to my will." (18% in)
- The black cloud had grown and was spread over the whole sky, and now forked lightning lit up the yard and outlined the metal trailer and the house with its crumbling porch, and thunder rolled directly overhead.10 — Poetry and Life (91% in)
- Before he could count three a violent roar exploded directly over him and went rolling along the sky, and then came hurtling rain.10 — Poetry and Life (92% in)
- The place he'd been told to come stood directly in front of him, a hundred yards down the track.11 — The Dialogue of Houses (54% in)
- It hung suspended from the railroad trestle, directly in the path of any train that might come.11 — The Dialogue of Houses (55% in)
- But when he moved toward the door Nick leaned forward, half-standing, aiming the pistol directly at him, and Luke was afraid.12 — A Mother's Love (62% in)
- Nick stood still, directly facing him.15 — The Dialogue of the Dead (58% in)
- Benson turned, and the man pointed with his thumb at the green padded leather door directly behind them.17 — Benson versus Boyle (70% in)
- The car parked directly behind him started up at almost the same moment.17 — Benson versus Boyle (99% in)
- I suspect if the truth were known he might be directly responsible for ... the patient's condition.19 — Workmen in a Quarry (80% in)
- She could hear someone moving in the upstairs bathroom, directly over her head.20 — Winged Figure Carrying Sacrificial Animal (62% in)
- As he stood wondering where the entrance might be, a small door opened directly in front of him, and he found himself looking in at a clean, neatly swept room where an oil lamp burned.21 — The Dialogue of Towers (28% in)
- He can hear the radio directly over his head.23 — E silentio (51% in)
- The front drawer was open a little, and though he knew it was not where he'd put the gun—and knew, in fact actually seemed to see through the back of his head, that the Sunlight Man was directly behind him, standing in front of the file cabinets, smiling at him out of a face burnt black as coal—he opened the drawer farther and groped inside it.23 — E silentio (88% in)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Sunlight Dialogues.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
3 —1 use 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
- There was anger in his voice, but now it was not anger directed toward her.4 — Mama (44% in)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Sunlight Dialogues.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
4 —5 uses as in:
directed the movie
Definition
supervise, control, or to be in charge of
- The Secretary shall issue notices of all members of stockholders and directors where notices of such meetings are required by law or these By-Laws.14 — The Wilderness (11% in)
Other Uses (with this meaning)
- Kozlowski bent toward her, apologetic as a funeral director.1 — The Watchdog (36% in)
- Given the same combination of gifts but other aspirations—an aspiration, for instance, to be an operatic singer—he might have been an unexceptional man: a restless farmer, a timid seducer of hired girls, a small-town choir director, a drunkard.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (21% in)
- He shall attend all meetings of stock-holders and of the Board of Directors and keep the minutes thereof.14 — The Wilderness (12% in)
- He shall affix the corporate seal to and sign his signature and shall perform such other duties as usually pertain to his office or as are properly required of him by the board of directors.14 — The Wilderness (12% in)
There are no more uses of "direct" flagged with this meaning in The Sunlight Dialogues.
Typical Usage
(best examples)
? —24 uses
exact meaning not specified
- Go directly when the call or the visit is ended.20 — Winged Figure Carrying Sacrificial Animal (83% in)
- For some reason they can't pay the rent direct—I don't know what the technicality is.1 — The Watchdog (55% in)
- Three fire engines went by, some blocks away, the last two hard on the tail of the first, from the sound of it, and their sirens howled along the twilight like the cranes he'd heard once crossing the sky in single file directly over the ship.1 — The Watchdog (80% in)
- He turned his chair a little to face the man more directly.2 — When the Exorcist Shall Go to the House of the Patient... (51% in)
- Sometimes he spoke not to his brother but directly to Boyle, or, rather, directly at Boyle's carefully impassive back.2 — When the Exorcist Shall Go to the House of the Patient... (92% in)
- Sometimes he spoke not to his brother but directly to Boyle, or, rather, directly at Boyle's carefully impassive back.2 — When the Exorcist Shall Go to the House of the Patient... (92% in)
- What the old man was unable to manage directly (and would not have wanted to manage anyhow, being a moral person) his ghost had managed indirectly: he tyrannized Hodge—if a thing so trifling was worth a big word like tyranny—through Millie his wife (or former wife), Will Jr, and Luke, his sons.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (4% in)
- What the old man was unable to manage directly (and would not have wanted to manage anyhow, being a moral person) his ghost had managed indirectly: he tyrannized Hodge—if a thing so trifling was worth a big word like tyranny—through Millie his wife (or former wife), Will Jr, and Luke, his sons.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (4% in)
- "Luke should have come to you directly, c'est vrai.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (7% in)
- Warshower's very way of living, his stubborn, uncomplicated directness, was a sermon of hope to Hodge.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (16% in)
- But again he said no, and now, directly challenged, he straightened out his mind.3 — Lion Emerging from Cage (27% in)
- No message comes over his radio directing him to a corner where he will find a man whose conversation would be worth gold and silver and all one's best linen.5 — Hunting Wild Asses (9% in)
- Clumly could say for Figlow, at least, that he was the first after Miller to see with perfect clarity that the Chief of Police had—as Figlow put it directly to Clumly an hour after the pistol-whipping of the Indian boy—a screw loose.5 — Hunting Wild Asses (21% in)
- They were the founders of astrology, and, indirectly, of astronomy.7 — The Dialogue on Wood and Stone (53% in)
- Direct, no running around Robin Hood's barn.9 — "Like a robber, I shall proceed according to my will." (76% in)
- She was speaking directly—unmistakably—to Clumly.9 — "Like a robber, I shall proceed according to my will." (96% in)
- Benson lifted his head a little and drew the spraycan up close to his chest, prepared to spray whatever was in it directly into Nuper's eyes the moment he reached through the window or opened the door.10 — Poetry and Life (80% in)
- She rode with her eyes clenched tightly shut—she could have told him the turn, could easily have directed him anywhere in the city—but she was still full of sorrow over forcing him again to admit his stupidity; and it pleased her to see him go wrong, see him knowing he could not get anywhere without her.12 — A Mother's Love (47% in)
- The boy's queer directness, openness—rudeness it would be in the world Hodge knew—stood outside all the rules he understood.13 — Nah ist—und schwer zu fassen der Gott (29% in)
- At last Taggert said, directly to Ben, as if speaking to him, not the others, "There's nobody here.15 — The Dialogue of the Dead (32% in)
- ...at the neck and trousers with flies that no longer buttoned; young women with enormous rear ends and cheap, shiny shoes that let most of their feet show through—but most of them didn't look poor, in fact they looked rich, to Benson, rich and directly dangerous: a man just ahead of him with a goat's beard and the curved dark glasses murderers wear on television; a group of fat young Negroes a little to the right of him, black as coal in their white shirts and thin little ties; a huge...17 — Benson versus Boyle (57% in)
- It seemed to Will—but it was hard to be sure—that the directness made Kleppmann uneasy.18 — The Dragon's Dwelling-Place and the Court for Owls (58% in)
- Whether it will be directed outward or inward ... But this is just guesswork.19 — Workmen in a Quarry (80% in)
- He thought clearly now, with absolute indifference to himself, beyond the pleasure or pain of vengeance, beyond any taint of satisfaction or reward or even common dignity, beyond even shame at his having failed to act directly, impersonally before.23 — E silentio (3% in)
There are no more uses of "direct" in The Sunlight Dialogues.
Typical Usage
(best examples)