direct

di|rect¹ W1S2 [dıˈrekt, ˌdaıˈrekt] adj

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1¦(without involving others)¦

2¦(from one place to another)¦

3¦(exact)¦

4¦(behaviour/attitude)¦

5 direct descendant

6 direct hit

7 direct heat/sunlight

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[Date: 1300-1400; : Latin; Origin: directus, past participle of dirigere 'to set straight, guide']

1.) ¦(WITHOUT INVOLVING OTHERS)¦

done without any other people, actions, processes etc coming between

≠ ↑indirect

▪ Experienced users have direct access to the main data files.

▪ I'm not in direct contact with them.

▪ Few policy-makers have had direct experience of business.

direct effect/impact/influence etc

▪ Educational level has a sizeable direct effect on income.

direct link/connection/relationship etc

▪ There is a direct link between poverty and ill-health.

direct result/consequence

▪ The decision to close the hospital is a direct result of Government health policy.

2.) ¦(FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER)¦

going straight from one place to another without stopping or changing direction

≠ ↑indirect

▪ Which is the most direct route to London?

▪ a direct flight to New York

3.) ¦(EXACT)¦ [only before noun]

exact or total

▪ Weight increases in direct proportion to mass.

▪ For Lawrence, in direct contrast to Adam, everything seemed to come so easily.

▪ a direct quote (=exact words) from the book

4.) ¦(BEHAVIOUR/ATTITUDE)¦

saying exactly what you mean in an honest clear way

≠ ↑indirect

▪ Women often feel men are too direct and not sympathetic enough.

▪ Now, let me ask you a direct question , and I expect a direct answer .

5.) direct descendant

someone who is related to someone else through their parents and grandparents, not through their ↑aunts, ↑uncles etc

direct descendant of

▪ She claimed to be a direct descendant of Wordsworth.

6.) direct hit

an occasion on which something such as a bomb hits a place exactly, causing a lot of damage

▪ During the war, the cathedral suffered many direct hits .

▪ One of the bombers scored a direct hit .

7.) direct heat/sunlight

strong heat or light that someone or something is not protected from

≠ ↑indirect

▪ Never change the film in direct sunlight.

→↑directly, ↑directness

direct ²

direct² W2S2 v

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1¦(aim)¦

2¦(be in charge)¦

3¦(film/play)¦

4¦(way/route)¦

5¦(tell somebody to do something)¦

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1.) ¦(AIM)¦ [T always + adverb/preposition]

to aim something in a particular direction or at a particular person, group etc

direct sth at/towards etc sth

▪ The machine directs an X-ray beam at the patient's body.

▪ The new route directs lorries away from the town centre.

▪ I'd like to direct your attention to paragraph four.

▪ I want to direct my efforts more towards my own projects.

2.) ¦(BE IN CHARGE)¦ [T]

to be in charge of something or control it

▪ Mr Turner was directing the investigation from a very early stage.

▪ The choir was directed by Sir David Willcocks.

3.) ¦(FILM/PLAY)¦ [I and T]

to give the actors in a play, film, or television programme instructions about what they should do

▪ The play was directed by Frank Hauser.

4.) ¦(WAY/ROUTE)¦ [T] formal

to tell someone how to get to a place

direct sb to sth

▪ Could you direct me to Trafalgar Square, please?

5.) ¦(TELL SOMEBODY TO DO SOMETHING)¦ [T] formal

to tell someone what they should do

= ↑order direct sb to do sth

▪ The judge directed the jury to find Mr Baggs not guilty.

direct that

▪ He directed that his body should be buried in Upton, Northamptonshire.

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WORD CHOICE: direct, take, guide, lead

If you direct someone somewhere, you tell them which way to go to get there, but you do not go with them : He directed me to a hotel near the airport (NOT He guided me to a hotel near the airport).

!! Do not say that you direct something in a particular direction. Say that you point something in a particular direction : He pointed the gun at the policeman (NOT He directed the gun at the policeman).

If you take , guide , or lead someone somewhere, you go with them there : I'll take you to the airport. Use guide especially to talk about helping someone along a difficult route : They guided me through a maze of one-way streets. Use lead to talk about going in front of someone who is following you : The waiter led us to a table in the corner.

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direct ³

direct³ adv

1.) without stopping or changing direction

= ↑directly

▪ Can we fly direct to Chicago, or do we stop in Salt Lake City first?

2.) without dealing with anyone else first

= ↑directly

▪ Esther decided to contact the manager direct.

▪ It is usually cheaper to buy the goods direct from the wholesaler.