Direct adj. 1.Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end; as, a direct line; direct means. "What is direct to, what slides by, the question."
2.Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken. "Be even and direct with me."
3.Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous. "He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words." "A direct and avowed interference with elections."
4.In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.
5.(Astron.) In the direction of the general planetary motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs; not retrograde; said of the motion of a celestial body.
6.(Political Science) Pertaining to, or effected immediately by, action of the people through their votes instead of through one or more representatives or delegates; as, direct nomination, direct legislation.
Direct discourse (Gram.), the language of any one quoted without change in its form; as, he said "I can not come;" correlative to indirect discourse, in which there is change of form; as, he said that he could not come. They are often called respectively by their Latin names, oratio directa, and oratio obliqua.
Direct evidence (Law), evidence which is positive or not inferential; opposed to circumstantial evidence, or indirect evidence. This distinction, however, is merely formal, since there is no direct evidence that is not circumstantial, or dependent on circumstances for its credibility.
Direct examination (Law), the first examination of a witness in the orderly course, upon the merits.
Direct fire (Mil.), fire, the direction of which is perpendicular to the line of troops or to the parapet aimed at.
Direct process (Metal.), one which yields metal in working condition by a single process from the ore.
Direct tax, a tax assessed directly on lands, etc., and polls, distinguished from taxes on merchandise, or customs, and from excise.
Direct v. t. (past & past part. directed; pres. part. directing) 1.To arrange in a direct or straight line, as against a mark, or towards a goal; to point; to aim; as, to direct an arrow or a piece of ordnance.
2.To point out or show to (any one), as the direct or right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way; as, he directed me to the left-hand road. "The Lord direct your into the love of God." "The next points to which I will direct your attention."
3.To determine the direction or course of; to cause to go on in a particular manner; to order in the way to a certain end; to regulate; to govern; as, to direct the affairs of a nation or the movements of an army. "I will direct their work in truth."
4.To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order; as, he directed them to go. "I 'll first direct my men what they shall do."
5.To put a direction or address upon; to mark with the name and residence of the person to whom anything is sent; to superscribe; as, to direct a letter.
Synonyms: To guide; lead; conduct; dispose; manage; regulate; order; instruct; command.
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