All 10 Uses of
direct
in
Chasing Lincoln's Killer
- He knew the narrow hallway behind the stage where a back door opened to the alley and he knew how the president's box hung directly above the stage.
p. 11..9directly = close, or in a straight line
- Booth could see the door of the vestibule that led directly into the president's box.†
p. 35..9 *
- Rathbone saw what Booth had clenched in his fist: a large, shiny knife, its blade pointed directly down at him.
p. 42..6directly = straight (exactly where stated; used for emphasis)
- Hawk stood directly in Booth's escape path.
p. 43..9 *directly = close
- He made a direct run for the box — ignoring the aisles and jumping over chairs blocking his route.†
p. 67..2 *
- Leale leaned forward and breathed air from his own lungs directly into Lincoln's mouth and nostrils.†
p. 68..9
- Paying customers entered, not through the front door, but through a side door that led directly into the bar and post office.†
p. 83..9
- They were fortunate to come upon a local man, Oswell Swann, half black, half Piscataway, who, for seven dollars, agreed to take them directly to Captain Cox's place.†
p. 114..7
- A single Confederate agent, nearly penniless, had just frustrated the frantic pursuit by thousands of men being directed from Washington by Secretary of War Stanton.†
p. 122..6
- Boston Corbett came forward, snapped to attention, saluted Conger, and proclaimed that he had shot Booth, and Providence had directed him to do it.†
p. 176..4
Definitions:
-
(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
-
(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
-
(direct as in: directed the jury to...) give instructions or commands