Dictionary entry details
• DIRECT (adjective)
Meaning:
Direct in spatial dimensions; proceeding without deviation or interruption; straight and short
Context examples:
a direct route / a direct flight / a direct hit
Similar:
straightforward (pointed directly ahead)
point-blank (close enough to go straight to the target)
nonstop ((of a journey especially a flight) occurring without stops)
door-to-door ((of e.g. journeys or deliveries) direct from point of origin to point of destination)
undeviating; unswerving (going directly ahead from one point to another without veering or turning aside)
through ((of a route or journey etc.) continuing without requiring stops or changes)
Also:
straight (having no deviations)
Attribute:
directness; straightness (trueness of course toward a goal)
Antonym:
indirect (not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination)
Meaning:
Having no intervening persons, agents, conditions
Synonyms:
unmediated; direct
Context examples:
in direct sunlight / in direct contact with the voters / direct exposure to the disease / a direct link / the direct cause of the accident / direct vote
Similar:
immediate (having no intervening medium)
Meaning:
Extended senses; direct in means or manner or behavior or language or action
Context examples:
a direct question / a direct response / a direct approach
Similar:
upfront (frank and honest)
square; straight; straightforward (without evasion or compromise)
pointed (direct and obvious in meaning or reference; often unpleasant)
plain; unvarnished (free from any effort to soften to disguise)
no-nonsense (not tolerating irrelevancies)
man-to-man (forthright and honest)
flat-footed (without reservation)
blunt; candid; forthright; frank; free-spoken; outspoken; plainspoken; point-blank; straight-from-the-shoulder (characterized by directness in manner or speech; without subtlety or evasion)
bluff (bluntly direct and outspoken but good-natured)
Also:
honest; honorable (not disposed to cheat or defraud; not deceptive or fraudulent)
Antonym:
indirect (extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action)
Meaning:
In a straight unbroken line of descent from parent to child
Synonyms:
lineal; direct
Context examples:
lineal ancestors / lineal heirs / a direct descendant of the king / direct heredity
Similar:
matrilineal; matrilinear (based on or tracing descent through the female line)
patrilineal; patrilinear (based on or tracing descent through the male line)
unilateral; unilateralist (tracing descent from either the paternal or the maternal line only)
Also:
related (connected by kinship, common origin, or marriage)
Meaning:
Moving from west to east on the celestial sphere; or--for planets--around the sun in the same direction as the Earth
Domain category:
astronomy; uranology (the branch of physics that studies celestial bodies and the universe as a whole)
Antonym:
retrograde (moving from east to west on the celestial sphere; or--for planets--around the sun in a direction opposite to that of the Earth)
Meaning:
Similar in nature or effect or relation to another quantity
Context example:
a term is in direct proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other increases (or decreases)
Domain category:
math; mathematics; maths (a science (or group of related sciences) dealing with the logic of quantity and shape and arrangement)
Antonym:
inverse (opposite in nature or effect or relation to another quantity)
Meaning:
(of a current) flowing in one direction only
Context example:
direct current
Domain category:
electricity (a physical phenomenon associated with stationary or moving electrons and protons)
Antonym:
alternating ((of a current) reversing direction)
Meaning:
Being an immediate result or consequence
Context example:
a direct result of the accident
Similar:
primary (of first rank or importance or value; direct and immediate rather than secondhand)
Meaning:
In precisely the same words used by a writer or speaker
Synonyms:
verbatim; direct
Context examples:
a direct quotation / repeated their dialog verbatim
Similar:
exact (marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact)
Meaning:
Lacking compromising or mitigating elements; exact
Context example:
the direct opposite
Similar:
absolute (perfect or complete or pure)
• DIRECT (verb)
Meaning:
Command with authority
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
He directed the children to do their homework
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
enjoin; order; say; tell (give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
stet (printing: direct that a matter marked for omission or correction is to be retained (used in the imperative))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE
Sentence example:
They direct him to write the letter
Meaning:
Intend (something) to move towards a certain goal
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
target; direct; aim; place; point
Context examples:
He aimed his fists towards his opponent's face / criticism directed at her superior / direct your anger towards others, not towards yourself
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
aim; direct; take; take aim; train (aim or direct at; as of blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
address (direct a question at someone)
home in; range in; zero in (direct onto a point or target, especially by automatic navigational aids)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Guide the actors in (plays and films)
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
create; make (make or cause to be or to become)
Domain category:
performing arts (arts or skills that require public performance)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
stage direct (direct for the stage)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Sentence example:
Sam and Sue direct the movie
Meaning:
Be in charge of
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
care; deal; handle; manage (be in charge of, act on, or dispose of)
Cause:
act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
give; have; hold; make; throw (organize or be responsible for)
guide; steer (be a guiding force, as with directions or advice)
head; lead (be in charge of)
operate; run (direct or control; projects, businesses, etc.)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Meaning:
Take somebody somewhere
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
lead; guide; take; conduct; direct
Context examples:
We lead him to our chief / can you take me to the main entrance? / He conducted us to the palace
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
show; usher (show (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums)
lead astray; misdirect; misguide; mislead (lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions)
hand (guide or conduct or usher somewhere)
beacon (guide with a beacon)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Meaning:
Cause to go somewhere
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
send; direct
Context examples:
The explosion sent the car flying in the air / She sent her children to camp / He directed all his energies into his dissertation
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
displace; move (cause to move, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
blow (cause air to go in, on, or through)
airt; redirect (channel into a new direction)
refer (send or direct for treatment, information, or a decision)
route (send via a specific route)
divert (send on a course or in a direction different from the planned or intended one)
turn (to send or let go)
turn (channel one's attention, interest, thought, or attention toward or away from something)
cast; contrive; project; throw (put or send forth)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP
Meaning:
Aim or direct at; as of blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment
Classified under:
Verbs of fighting, athletic activities
Synonyms:
aim; take aim; train; direct; take
Context examples:
Please don't aim at your little brother! / He trained his gun on the burglar / Don't train your camera on the women / Take a swipe at one's opponent
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
position (cause to be in an appropriate place, state, or relation)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
level (aim at)
charge; level; point (direct into a position for use)
swing (hit or aim at with a sweeping arm movement)
turn (direct at someone)
hold (aim, point, or direct)
draw a bead on (aim with a gun)
aim; direct; place; point; target (intend (something) to move towards a certain goal)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something PP
Somebody ----s PP
Meaning:
Lead, as in the performance of a composition
Classified under:
Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing
Synonyms:
conduct; direct; lead
Context example:
conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
do; execute; perform (carry out or perform an action)
Domain category:
music (musical activity (singing or whistling etc.))
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Give directions to; point somebody into a certain direction
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Context example:
I directed them towards the town hall
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
apprise; apprize; instruct (make aware of)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
talk down (direct and control (the flight of an airplane during landing) via radio)
point the way (indicate the right path or direction)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Meaning:
Specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
aim; calculate; direct
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
designate; destine; intend; specify (design or destine)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Meaning:
Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
steer; maneuver; guide; channelize; channelise; manoeuver; manoeuvre; point; head; direct
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
command; control (exercise authoritative control or power over)
Domain category:
driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
conn (conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane)
navigate; pilot (act as the navigator in a car, plane, or vessel and plan, direct, plot the path and position of the conveyance)
canalise; canalize; channel (direct the flow of)
corner; tree (force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape)
park (maneuver a vehicle into a parking space)
starboard (turn to the right, of helms or rudders)
stand out (steer away from shore, of ships)
dock (haul into a dock)
sheer (cause to sheer)
pull over (steer a vehicle to the side of the road)
crab (direct (an aircraft) into a crosswind)
navigate (direct carefully and safely)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP
Meaning:
Put an address on (an envelope)
Classified under:
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing
Synonyms:
address; direct
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
label (assign a label to; designate with a label)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
re-address (put a new address on (an envelope), as for forwarding)
instrument (address a legal document to)
misaddress; misdirect (put a wrong address on)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something PP
Meaning:
Plan and direct (a complex undertaking)
Classified under:
Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting
Synonyms:
mastermind; engineer; orchestrate; organize; organise; direct
Context example:
he masterminded the robbery
Hypernyms (to "direct" is one way to...):
plan (make plans for something)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "direct"):
choreograph (plan and oversee the development and details of)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
• DIRECT (adverb)
Meaning:
Without deviation
Synonyms:
direct; directly; straight
Context examples:
the path leads directly to the lake / went direct to the office
