DIRECT, a. [L., to make straight. See Right.]

1. Straight; right; as, to pass in a direct line from one body or place to another. It is opposed to crooked, winding, oblique. It is also opposed to refracted; as, a direct ray of light.
2. In astronomy, appearing to move forward in the zodiac, in the direction of the signs; opposed to retrograde; as, the motion of a planet is direct.
3. In the line of father and son; opposed to collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.
4. Leading or tending to an end, as by a straight line or course; not circuitous. Thus we speak of direct means to effect an object; a direct course; a direct way.
5. Open; not ambiguous or doubtful. – Bacon.
6. Plain; express; not ambiguous; as, he said this in direct words; he made a direct acknowledgment.
7. In music, a direct interval is that which forms any kind of harmony on the fundamental sound which produces it; as the fifth, major third, and octave. – Rousseau. Direct tax, is a tax assessed on real estate, as houses and lands.

In music, a character placed at the end of a stave to direct the performer to the first note of the stave. – Busby.

1. To point or aim in a straight line, toward a place or object; as, to direct an arrow or a piece of ordnance; to direct the eye; to direct a course or flight.
2. To point; to show the right road or course; as, he directed me to the left hand road.
3. To regulate; to guide or lead; to govern; to cause to proceed in a particular manner; as, to direct the affairs of a nation. Wisdom is profitable to direct. – Eccles. x.
4. To prescribe a course; to mark out a way. – Job xxxvii.
5. To order; to instruct; to point out a course of proceeding with authority, to command. But direct is a softer term than command.

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. Locke.

2. 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.
3. To give direction; to point out a course; to act as guide.
   
   

   Wisdom is profitable to direct. Eccl. x. 10.

4. A character, thus [(?)], placed at the end of a staff on the line or space of the first note of the next staff, to apprise the performer of its situation.
   
   
   Moore (Encyc. of Music).
5. 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.
6. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.
   
   

   Be even and direct with me. Shak.

7. 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. 2 Thess. iii. 5.

   The next points to which I will direct your attention. Lubbock.

8. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
   
   

   He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words. Locke.

   A direct and avowed interference with elections. Hallam.

9. 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. Is. lxi. 8.

10. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.
11. 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. Shak.

12. 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.
    
    

    Direct action. (Mach.) See Direct- acting. -- 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, 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. Wharton. -- Direct examination (Law), the first examination of a witness in the orderly course, upon the merits. Abbott. -- 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. Knight. -- Direct tax, a tax assessed directly on lands, etc., and polls, distinguished from taxes on merchandise, or customs, and from excise.

13. 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.
    
    

    Syn. -- To guide; lead; conduct; dispose; manage; regulate; order; instruct; command.