Direct meaning

What does “direct” mean? Definitions, examples, synonyms and opposites.

“direct” is a verb, adjective and adverb with 24 meanings. Its most common meaning is: command with authority.

direct

command with authority
“He directed the children to do their homework”
intend (something) to move towards a certain goal
“He aimed his fists towards his opponent's face”
“criticism directed at her superior”
Synonymstarget aim place point
guide the actors in (plays and films)
be in charge of
take somebody somewhere
“We lead him to our chief”
“can you take me to the main entrance?”
Synonymslead take conduct guide
cause to go somewhere
“The explosion sent the car flying in the air”
“She sent her children to camp”
Synonymssend
point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards
“Please don't aim at your little brother!”
“He trained his gun on the burglar”
Synonymsaim take train take aim
lead, as in the performance of a composition
“conduct an orchestra; Barenboim conducted the Chicago symphony for years”
Synonymsconduct lead
give directions to; point somebody into a certain direction
“I directed them towards the town hall”
specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public
Synonymscalculate aim
direct the course; determine the direction of travelling
Synonymssteer maneuver manoeuver manoeuvre point head guide channelize
put an address on (an envelope)
Synonymsaddress
plan and direct (a complex undertaking)
“he masterminded the robbery”
Synonymsmastermind engineer organize organise orchestrate

direct in spatial dimensions; proceeding without deviation or interruption; straight and short
“a direct route”
“a direct flight”
Oppositesindirect
having no intervening persons, agents, conditions
“in direct sunlight”
“in direct contact with the voters”
Synonymsunmediated
straightforward in means or manner or behavior or language or action
“a direct question”
“a direct response”
Oppositesindirect
in a straight unbroken line of descent from parent to child
“lineal ancestors”
“lineal heirs”
Synonymslineal
moving from west to east on the celestial sphere; or--for planets--around the sun in the same direction as the Earth
Oppositesretrograde
similar in nature or effect or relation to another quantity
“a term is in direct proportion to another term if it increases (or decreases) as the other increases (or decreases)”
Oppositesinverse
(of a current) flowing in one direction only
“direct current”
Oppositesalternating
being an immediate result or consequence
“a direct result of the accident”
in precisely the same words used by a writer or speaker
“a direct quotation”
“repeated their dialog verbatim”
Synonymsverbatim
lacking compromising or mitigating elements; exact
“the direct opposite”

without deviation
“the path leads directly to the lake”
“went direct to the office”
Synonymsdirectly straight

Source: WordNet 3.1, Princeton University