SG Heritage Dictionary

Direct [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

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 sign; opposed to retrograde; as, the motion of a planet is direct

3. In the line of father and sons; 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.

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.

8. DIRECT tax, is a tax assess on real estate, as houses and lands.

Direct [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

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

Direct [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. To point or aim in a straight line, towards 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.

4. Wisdom is profitable to direct Ecclesiastes 10:10 .

5. To prescribe a course; to mark out a way. Job 37:3 .

6. To order; to instruct; to point out a course of proceeding, with authority; to command. But direct is a softer term than command.

Direct [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

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.

2. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.

3. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.

4. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.

5. 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 [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

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.

Direct [Verb intransitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

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

Direct [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

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.

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.

4. To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order; as, he directed them to go.

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.

Direct-acting [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Acting directly, as one part upon another, without the intervention of other working parts.

Directed [Participle passive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Aimed; pointed; guided; regulated; governed; ordered; instructed.

Directed [Imperfect tense and past participle] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Direct

Directer [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

A director, which see.

Directer [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

One who directs; a director.

Directing [Participle present tense] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Aiming; pointing; guiding; regulating; governing; ordering.

Directing [Present participle and verbal noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Direct

Direction [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Aim at a certain point; a pointing towards, in a straight line or course; as, the direction of good works to a good end.

2. The line in which a body moves by impulse; course. Matter or body cannot alter the direction of its own motion.

3. A straight line or course. A star appeared int eh direction of a certain tower. The ship sailed in a south-easterly direction

4. The act of governing; administration; management; guidance; superintendence; as the direction of public affairs; direction of domestic concerns; the direction of a bank.

5. Regularity; adjustment.

6. All chance, direction which thou canst not see.

7. Order; prescription; either verbal or written; instruction in what manner to proceed. The employer gives directions to his workmen; the physician, to his patient.

8. The superscription of a letter, including the name, title and place of abode of the person for whom it is intended.

9. A body or board of directors.

Direction [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. The act of directing, of aiming, regulating, guiding, or ordering; guidance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction o/ public affairs or of a bank.

2. That which is imposed by directing; a guiding or authoritative instruction; prescription; order; command; as, he grave directions to the servants.

3. The name and residence of a person to whom any thing is sent, written upon the thing sent; superscription; address; as, the direction of a letter.

4. The line or course upon which anything is moving or aimed to move, or in which anything is lying or pointing; aim; line or point of tendency; direct line or course; as, the ship sailed in a southeasterly direction.

5. The body of managers of a corporation or enterprise; board of directors.

6. The pointing of a piece with reference to an imaginary vertical axis; -- distinguished from elevation. The direction is given when the plane of sight passes through the object.

Directive [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Having the power of direction; as a directive rule.

2. Informing; instructing; shewing way.

Directive [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Having power to direct; tending to direct, guide, or govern; showing the way.

2. Able to be directed; manageable.

Directly [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. In a straight lin or course; rectilineally; not in a winding course. Aim directly to the object. Gravity tends directly to the center of the earth.

2. Immediately; soon; without delay; as, he will be with us directly

3. Openly; expressly, without circumlocution or ambiguity, or without a train or inferences.

4. No man hath been so impious, as directly to condemn prayer.

Directly [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. In a direct manner; in a straight line or course.

2. In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct, means.

3. Without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms.

4. Exactly; just.

5. Straightforwardly; honestly.

6. Manifestly; openly.

7. Straightway; next in order; without delay; immediately.

8. Immediately after; as soon as.

Directness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Straightness; a straight course; nearness of way.

Directness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The quality of being direct; straightness; straightforwardness; immediateness.

Director [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. One who directs; one who superintends, governs or manages; one who prescribes to others, by virtue of authority; an instructor; a counselor.

2. That which directs; a rule; an ordinance.

3. One appointed to transact the affairs of a company; as the director of a bank, or of the India Company.

4. That which directs or controls by influence.

5. Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct.

6. In surgery, a grooved probe, intended to direct the edge of the knife or scissors in opening sinuses or fistulae; a guide for and incision-knife.

Director [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. One who, or that which, directs; one who regulates, guides, or orders; a manager or superintendent.

2. One of a body of persons appointed to manage the affairs of a company or corporation; as, the directors of a bank, insurance company, or railroad company.

3. A part of a machine or instrument which directs its motion or action.

4. A slender grooved instrument upon which a knife is made to slide when it is wished to limit the extent of motion of the latter, or prevent its injuring the parts beneath.

Directorate [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The office of director; also, a body of directors taken jointly.

Directorial [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Pertaining to directors or direction; containing direction or command.

Directorial [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Having the quality of a director, or authoritative guide; directive.

2. Pertaining to: director or directory; specifically, relating to the Directory of France under the first republic. See Directory, 3.

Directories [Plural] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Directory

Directorship [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The condition or office of a director; directorate.

Directory [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Containing directions; enjoining; instructing.

Directory [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. A guide; a rule to direct; particularly, a book containing directions for public worship, or religious services. The Bible is our best directory in faith and practice.

2. A book containing an alphabetical list of the inhabitants of a city, with their places of abode.

3. The supreme council of France, in the late revolution.

4. A board of directors.

Directory [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Containing directions; enjoining; instructing; directorial.

Directory [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. A collection or body of directions, rules, or ordinances; esp., a book of directions for the conduct of worship; as, the Directory used by the nonconformists instead of the Prayer Book.

2. A book containing the names and residences of the inhabitants of any place, or of classes of them; an address book; as, a business directory.

3. A body of directors; board of management; especially, a committee which held executive power in France under the first republic.

4. Direction; guide.

Directory Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary

an ecclesiastical instrument, containing directions for the conduct of religious worship, drawn up by the assembly of divines, by order of parliament, in 1645. It was intended to supply the use of the Common Prayer Book, which had been abolished. It orders the reverent observation of public worship, prayer, singing of psalms, the reading and exposition of the Scriptures, &c. It enjoins no forms, but recommends the Lord’s prayer as a model of devotion; directs that the Lord’s Supper may be received sitting; that the Sabbath day be strictly observed; but puts down all saints’ days, consecrations of churches, and private or lay baptisms. This Directory, which was formerly bound with the Westminster confession of faith, is still, in effect, the plan of worship among the Dissenters, and especially the Presbyterians.

Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary
[131 words — estimated reading time: 1 minute]

Directress [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

A female who directs or manages.

Directress [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

A woman who directs.

Directrix [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

A female who governs or directs.

Directrix [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. A directress.

2. A line along which a point in another line moves, or which in any way governs the motion of the point and determines the position of the curve generated by it; the line along which the generatrix moves in generating a surface.

3. A straight line so situated with respect to a conic section that the distance of any point of the curve from it has a constant ratio to the distance of the same point from the focus.

Directrixes [Plural] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Directrix

Straightness Roget’s Thesaurus §246

N. straightness, rectilinearity, directness, inflexibility, straight line, right line, direct line, short cut

V. be straight, have no turning, not incline to either side, not bend to either side, not turn to either side, not deviate to either side, go straight, steer for, render straight, straighten, rectify, set straight, put straight, unbend, unfold, uncurl, unravel, unwrap

Adj. straight, rectilinear, rectilineal, direct, even, right, true, in a line, unbent, virgate, undeviating, unturned, undistorted, unswerving, straight as an arrow, inflexible, laser-straight, ramrod-straight

Direction Roget’s Thesaurus §278

N. direction, bearing, course, vector, set, drift, tenor, tendency, incidence, bending, trending, dip, tack, aim, collimation, steering steerage, point of the compass, cardinal points, north east, south, west, n by e, ene, ne by n, ne, &c, rhumb, azimuth, line of collimation, line, path, road, range, quarter, line of march, alignment, allignment, air line, beeline, straight shoot

V. tend towards, bend towards, point towards, conduct to, go to, point to, point at, bend, trend, verge, incline, dip, determine, steer for, steer towards, make for, make towards, aim at, level at, take aim, keep a course, hold a course, be bound for, bend one's steps towards, direct one's course, steer one's course, bend one's course, shape one's course, align one's march, allign one's march, to straight, go straight to the point, march on, march on a point, ascertain one's direction, s'orienter, see which way the wind blows, box the compass, take the air line

Adj. directed, directed towards, pointing towards, bound for, aligned, with alligned with, direct, straight, undeviating, unswerving, straightforward, north, northern, northerly, &c. n

Adv. towards, on the road, on the high road to, en avant, versus, to, hither, thither, whither, directly, straight as an arrow, forwards as an arrow, point blank, in a bee line to, in a direct line to, as the crow flies, in a straight line to, in a bee line for, in a direct line for, in a straight line for, in a bee line with, in a direct line with, in a straight line with, in a line with, full tilt at, as the crow flies, before the wind, near the wind, close to the wind, against the wind, windwards, in the wind's eye, through, via, by way of, in all directions, in all manner of ways, quaquaversum, from the four winds

Phr. the shortest distance between two points is a straight line

Teaching Roget’s Thesaurus §537

N. teaching, instruction, edification, education, tuition, tutorage, tutelage, direction, guidance, opsimathy, qualification, preparation, training, schooling, discipline, excitation, drill, practice, book exercise, persuasion, proselytism, propagandism, propaganda, indoctrination, inculcation, inoculation, advise, explanation, lesson, lecture, sermon, apologue, parable, discourse, prolection, preachment, chalk talk, chautauqua, exercise, task, curriculum, course, course of study, grammar, three r's, initiation, a, b, c, &c (beginning) 66, elementary education, primary education, secondary education, technical education, college education, collegiate education, military education, university education, liberal education, classical education, religious education, denominational education, moral education, secular education, propaedeutics, moral tuition, gymnastics, calisthenics, physical drill, physical education, sloyd, phonics, rote, rote memorization, brute memory, cooperative learning, montessori method, ungraded classes, test, examination, exam, final exam, mid-term exam grade, score, marks, a, b, c, d, e, f, gentleman's c, pass, fail, incomplete, homework, take-home lesson, exercise for the student, theme, project

V. teach, instruct, educate, edify, school, tutor, cram, prime, coach, enlighten, inculcate, indoctrinate, inoculate, infuse, instill, infix, ingraft, infiltrate, imbue, impregnate, implant, graft, sow the seeds of, disseminate, given an idea of, put up to, put in the way of, set right, sharpen the wits, enlarge the mind, give new ideas, open the eyes, bring forward, "teach the young idea how to shoot", improve, expound, lecture, read a lesson, give a lesson, give a lecture, give a sermon, give a discourse, incept, hold forth, preach, sermonize, moralize, point a moral, train, discipline, bring up, bring up to, form, ground, prepare, qualify, drill, exercise, practice, habituate, familiarize with, nurture, drynurse, breed, rear, take in hand, break, break in, tame, preinstruct, initiate, inure, put to nurse, send to school, direct, guide, direct attention to, impress upon the mind, impress upon the memory, beat into, beat into the head, convince, book, workbook, exercise book, preach to the wise, teach one's grandmother to suck eggs, teach granny to suck eggs, preach to the converted

Adj. teaching, taught, educational, scholastic, academic, doctrinal, disciplinal, instructive, instructional, didactic, propaedeutic, propaedeutical

Phr. the schoolmaster abroad, a bovi majori disscit arare minor, adeo in teneris consuecere multum est, docendo discimus, quaenocent docent, qui docet discit, "sermons in stones and good in everything"

Direction Roget’s Thesaurus §693

N. direction, management, managery, government, gubernation, conduct, legislation, regulation, guidance, bossism, legislature, steerage, pilotage, reins, reins of government, helm, rudder, needle, compass, guiding star, load star, lode star, pole star, cynosure, supervision, superintendence, surveillance, oversight, eye of the master, control, charge, board of control, command, premiership, senatorship, director, chair, portfolio, statesmanship, statecraft, kingcraft, queencraft, ministry, ministration, administration, stewardship, proctorship, agency, director

V. direct, manage, govern, conduct, order, prescribe, cut out work for, bead, lead, lead the way, show the way, take the lead, lead on, regulate, guide, steer, pilot, tackle take the helm, be at the helm, have the reins, handle the reins, hold the reins, take the reins, drive, tool, superintend, supervise, overlook, control, keep in order, look after, see to, legislate for, administer, ministrate, matronize, have the care of, have the charge of, be in charge of, have charge of, take the direction, boss, boss one around, pull the strings, pull the wires, rule, have the direction, hold office, hold the portfolio, preside, preside at the board, take the chair, occupy the chair, be in the chair, pull the stroke oar

Adj. directing, hegemonic

Adv. at the helm, at the head of

Artlessness Roget’s Thesaurus §703

N. artlessness, nature, simplicity, innocence, bonhomie, naivete, abandon, candor, sincerity, singleness of purpose, singleness of heart, honesty, plain speaking, epanchement, rough diamond, matter of fact man, le palais de verite, enfant terrible

V. be artless, look one in the face, wear one's heart upon his sleeves for daws to peck at, think aloud, speak out, speak one's mind, be free with one, call a spade a spade

Adj. artless, natural, pure, native, confiding, simple, lain, inartificial, untutored, unsophisticated, ingenu, unaffected, naive, sincere, frank, open, open as day, candid, ingenuous, guileless, unsuspicious, honest, innocent, arcadian, undesigning, straightforward, unreserved, aboveboard, simple-minded, single-minded, frank-hearted, open-hearted, single-hearted, simple-hearted, free-spoken, plain-spoken, outspoken, blunt, downright, direct, matter of fact, unpoetical, unflattering

Adv. in plain words, in plain english, without mincing the matter, not to mince the matter

Phr. davus sum non oedipus, liberavi animam meam, "as frank as rain on cherry blossoms", 1, conditional antagonism

Command Roget’s Thesaurus §741

N. command, order, ordinance, act, fiat, hukm, bidding, dictum, hest, behest, call, beck, nod, despatch, dispatch, message, direction, injunction, charge, instructions, appointment, fixture, demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, reclamation, revendication, ultimatum, request, requirement, dictation, dictate, mandate, caveat, decree, senatus consultum, precept, prescript, rescript, writ, ordination, bull, ex cathedra pronouncement, edict, decretal, dispensation, prescription, brevet, placit, ukase, ukaz, firman, hatti-sherif, warrant, passport, mittimus, mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius, interpellation, citation, word, word of command, mot d'ordre, bugle call, trumpet call, beat of drum, tattoo, order of the day, enactment, plebiscite

V. command, order, decree, enact, ordain, dictate, direct, give orders, prescribe, set, appoint, mark out, set a task, prescribe a task, impose a task, set to work, put in requisition, bid, enjoin, charge, call upon, instruct, require at the hands of, exact, impose, tax, task, demand, insist on, claim, lay claim to, revendicate, reclaim, cite, summon, call for, send for, subpoena, beckon, issue a command, make a requisition, issue a requisition, promulgate a requisition, make a decree, issue a decree, promulgate a decree, make an order, issue an order, promulgate an order, give the word of command, give the word, give the signal, call to order, give the law, lay down the law, assume the command, remand, be -ordered &c, receive an order

Adj. commanding, authoritative, decretory, decretive, decretal, callable, jussive

Adv. in a commanding tone, by a stroke of the pen, by a dash of the pen, by order, at beat of drum, on the first summons

Phr. the decree is gone forth, sic volo sic jubeo, le roi le veut, boutez en avant

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

31 KJV and 84 BSB verses contain “Direct” — showing the first 20. Show all 108 verses (searchable)

Genesis 12:4

So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

So Abram departed, as the LORD had directed him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran.

Genesis 45:19

Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.

You are also directed to tell them: ‘Take wagons from the land of Egypt for your young children and your wives, and bring your father and come back.

Genesis 46:26

All the souls that came with Jacob into Egypt, which came out of his loins, besides Jacob’s sons’ wives, all the souls were threescore and six;

All those belonging to Jacob who came to Egypt—his direct descendants, besides the wives of Jacob’s sons—numbered sixty-six persons.

Genesis 46:28

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to direct his face unto Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen.

Now Jacob had sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph to get directions to Goshen. When Jacob’s family arrived in the land of Goshen,

Genesis 50:2

And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father: and the physicians embalmed Israel.

And Joseph directed the physicians in his service to embalm his father Israel. So they embalmed him,

Exodus 14:2

Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon: before it shall ye encamp by the sea.

“Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea. You are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal-zephon.

Exodus 18:23

If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.

If you follow this advice and God so directs you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people can go home in peace.”

Exodus 38:21

This is the sum of the tabernacle, even of the tabernacle of testimony, as it was counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, son to Aaron the priest.

This is the inventory for the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the Testimony, as recorded at Moses’ command by the Levites under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Leviticus 10:5

So they went near, and carried them in their coats out of the camp; as Moses had said.

So they came forward and carried them, still in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses had directed.

Leviticus 19:17

Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.

You must not harbor hatred against your brother in your heart. Directly rebuke your neighbor, so that you will not incur guilt on account of him.

Leviticus 25:12

For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.

For it is a Jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You may eat only the crops taken directly from the field.

Numbers 4:27

At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.

All the service of the Gershonites—all their transport duties and other work—is to be done at the direction of Aaron and his sons; you are to assign to them all that they are responsible to carry.

Numbers 4:28

This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting, and their duties shall be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Numbers 4:33

This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

This is the service of the Merarite clans according to all their work at the Tent of Meeting, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.”

Numbers 7:8

And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.

and he gave the Merarites four carts and eight oxen, as their service required, all under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Numbers 11:31

And there went forth a wind from the LORD, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall by the camp, as it were a day’s journey on this side, and as it were a day’s journey on the other side, round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon the face of the earth.

Now a wind sent by the LORD came up, drove in quail from the sea, and brought them near the camp, about two cubits above the surface of the ground, for a day’s journey in every direction around the camp.

Numbers 19:4

And Eleazar the priest shall take of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle of her blood directly before the tabernacle of the congregation seven times:

Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting.

Numbers 21:18

The princes digged the well, the nobles of the people digged it, by the direction of the lawgiver, with their staves. And from the wilderness they went to Mattanah:

The princes dug the well; the nobles of the people hollowed it out with their scepters and with their staffs.” From the wilderness the Israelites went on to Mattanah,

Numbers 34:7

And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor:

Your northern border will run from the Great Sea directly to Mount Hor,

Deuteronomy 9:19

For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure, wherewith the LORD was wroth against you to destroy you. But the LORD hearkened unto me at that time also.

For I was afraid of the anger and wrath that the LORD had directed against you, enough to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me this time as well.