a. [ Compar. Direr superl. Direst. ] [ L. dirus; of uncertain origin. ] 1. Ill-boding; portentous; as, dire omens. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Evil in great degree; dreadful; dismal; horrible; terrible; lamentable. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dire was the tossing, deep the groans. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Gorgons and hydras and chimeras dire. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. directus, p. p. of dirigere to direct: cf. F. direct. See Dress, and cf. Dirge. ] 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

What is direct to, what slides by, the question. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken. [ 1913 Webster ]

Be even and direct with me. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous. [ 1913 Webster ]

He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

A direct and avowed interference with elections. Hallam. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Direct action. (a) (Mach.) See Direct-acting. (b) (Trade unions) See Syndicalism, below. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ] --
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. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Directed; p. pr. & vb. n. 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Lord direct your into the love of God. 2 Thess. iii. 5. [ 1913 Webster ]

The next points to which I will direct your attention. Lubbock. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

I will direct their work in truth. Is. lxi. 8. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order; as, he directed them to go. [ 1913 Webster ]

I 'll first direct my men what they shall do. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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.

Syn. -- To guide; lead; conduct; dispose; manage; regulate; order; instruct; command. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To give direction; to point out a course; to act as guide. [ 1913 Webster ]

Wisdom is profitable to direct. Eccl. x. 10. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Mus.) A character, thus [ &unr_; ], 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). [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Mach.) Acting directly, as one part upon another, without the intervention of other working parts. [ 1913 Webster ]

Direct-acting steam engine, one in which motion is transmitted to the crank without the intervention of a beam or lever; -- also called direct-action steam engine. --
Direct-acting steam pump, one in which the steam piston rod is directly connected with the pump rod; -- also called direct-action steam pump. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Coupled without intermediate connections, as an engine and a dynamo.

Direct-coupled antenna (Wireless Teleg.), an antenna connected electrically with one point of a closed oscillation circuit in syntony with it and earthed. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. (Elec.) (a) A current flowing in one direction only; -- distinguished from alternating current. When steady and not pulsating a direct current is often called a continuous current. (b)
A direct induced current, or momentary current of the same direction as the inducing current, produced by stopping or removing the latter; also, a similar current produced by removal of a magnet. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

adj. 1. having a specified direction; often used in combination; as, goal-directed. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. marked with a destination; -- of mail or parcels; as, I throw away all mail directed to `resident'. Opposite of unaddressed.
Syn. -- addressed. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]

n. One who directs; a director. [ 1913 Webster ]

Directer plane (Geom.), the plane to which all right-lined elements in a warped surface are parallel. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. directio: cf. F. direction. ] 1. The act of directing, of aiming, regulating, guiding, or ordering; guidance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction o&unr_; public affairs or of a bank. [ 1913 Webster ]

I do commit his youth
To your direction. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

All nature is but art, unknown to thee;
ll chance, direction, which thou canst not see. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which is imposed by directing; a guiding or authoritative instruction; prescription; order; command; as, he grave directions to the servants. [ 1913 Webster ]

The princes digged the well . . . by the direction of the law giver. Numb. xxi. 18. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. The body of managers of a corporation or enterprise; board of directors. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Gun.) 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. Wilhelm.

Syn. -- Administration; guidance; management; superintendence; oversight; government; order; command; guide; clew. Direction, Control, Command, Order. These words, as here compared, have reference to the exercise of power over the actions of others. Control is negative, denoting power to restrain; command is positive, implying a right to enforce obedience; directions are commands containing instructions how to act. Order conveys more prominently the idea of authority than the word direction. A shipmaster has the command of his vessel; he gives orders or directions to the seamen as to the mode of sailing it; and exercises a due control over the passengers. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. of or pertaining to direction (definition 2). [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. serving to indicate direction. [ PJC ]

3. (Radio) transmitting radio signals in a specific direction, or receiving signals only from a narrow angle of directions, thus serving to indicate the direction from which radio signals are coming. Used of antennas; as, a directional antenna. [ PJC ]

n. the property of a microphone or antenna of being more sensitive to signal arriving from one direction than from another.
Syn. -- directivity. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. 1. purposeless. Opposite of purposeful.
Syn. -- adrift(predicate), afloat(predicate), aimless, planless, rudderless, undirected. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ LL. directivus: cf. F. directif. ] 1. Having power to direct; tending to direct, guide, or govern; showing the way. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

The precepts directive of our practice in relation to God. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Able to be directed; manageable. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Swords and bows
Directive by the limbs. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the property of a microphone or antenna of being more sensitive to sounds coming from one direction than from another.
Syn. -- directionality. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. 1. In a direct manner; in a straight line or course. “To run directly on.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Indirectly and directly too
Thou hast contrived against the very life
Of the defendant. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct, means. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms. [ 1913 Webster ]

No man hath hitherto been so impious as plainly and directly to condemn prayer. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Exactly; just. [ 1913 Webster ]

Stand you directly in Antonius' way. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. Straightforwardly; honestly. [ 1913 Webster ]

I have dealt most directly in thy affair. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. Manifestly; openly. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Desdemona is directly in love with him. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

7. Straightway; next in order; without delay; immediately. “Will she go now to bed?' &unr_;Directly.'” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

8. Immediately after; as soon as. [ 1913 Webster ]

Directly he stopped, the coffin was removed. Dickens. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This use of the word is common in England, especially in colloquial speech, but it can hardly be regarded as a well-sanctioned or desirable use. [ 1913 Webster ]

Directly proportional (Math.), proportional in the order of the terms; increasing or decreasing together, and with a constant ratio; -- opposed to inversely proportional.

Syn. -- Immediately; forthwith; straightway; instantly; instantaneously; soon; promptly; openly; expressly. -- Directly, Immediately, Instantly, Instantaneously. Directly denotes, without any delay or diversion of attention; immediately implies, without any interposition of other occupation; instantly implies, without any intervention of time. Hence, “I will do it directly, ” means, “I will go straightway about it.” “I will do it immediately, ” means, “I will do it as the very next thing.” “I will do it instantly, ” allows not a particle of delay. Instantaneously, like instantly, marks an interval too small to be appreciable, but commonly relates to physical causes; as, the powder touched by fire instantaneously exploded. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being direct; straightness; straightforwardness; immediateness. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Political Science) The nomination or designation of candidates for public office by direct popular vote rather than through the action of a convention or body of elected nominating representatives or delegates. The term is applied both to the nomination of candidates without any nominating convention, and, loosely, to the nomination effected, as in the case of candidates for president or senator of the United States, by the election of nominating representatives pledged or instructed to vote for certain candidates dssignated by popular vote. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

(Dressmaking) A style of dress prevalent at the time of the French Directory, characterized by great extravagance of design and imitating the Greek and Roman costumes. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. F. directeur. ] 1. One who, or that which, directs; one who regulates, guides, or orders; a manager or superintendent. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all affairs thou sole director. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

What made directors cheat in South-Sea year? Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mech.) A part of a machine or instrument which directs its motion or action. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Surg.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. directorat. ] The office of director; also, a body of directors taken jointly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. directorial. ] 1. Having the quality of a director, or authoritative guide; directive. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to: director or directory; specifically, relating to the Directory of France under the first republic. See Directory, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whoever goes to the directorial presence under this passport. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The condition or office of a director; directorate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. directorius. ] Containing directions; enjoining; instructing; directorial. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Directories 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ Cf. F. directoire. ] A body of directors; board of management; especially, a committee which held executive power in France under the first republic. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Direction; guide. [ R. ] Whitlock. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Political Science) A primary by which direct nominations of candidates for office are made. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A woman who directs. Bp. Hurd. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. E. Directrixes L. Directrices 1. A directress. [ R. ] Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Geom.) (a) 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. (b) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Dire + -ful. ] Dire; dreadful; terrible; calamitous; woeful; as, a direful fiend; a direful day. -- Dire"ful*ly, adv. -- Dire"ful*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a dire manner. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. diremptus, p. p. of dirimere to take apart, separate; di- = dis- + emere to buy, orig., to take. ] Divided; separated. [ Obs. ] Stow. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To separate by force; to tear apart. [ Obs. ] Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. diremptio. ] A tearing apart; violent separation. [ Obs. ] Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dire- + -ness. ] Terribleness; horror; woefulness. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. direptio, fr. diripere to tear asunder, plunder; di- = dis- + rapere to seize and carry off. ] The act of plundering, despoiling, or snatching away. [ R. ] Speed. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Characterized by direption. [ R. ] Encyc. Dict. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. With plundering violence; by violent injustice. [ R. ] Strype. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A director (usually one holding a number of directorships) who serves merely or mainly for the fee (in England, often a guinea) paid for attendance. [ Colloq. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

a. [ Pref. in- not + direct: cf. F. indirect. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Not direct; not straight or rectilinear; deviating from a direct line or course; circuitous; as, an indirect road. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not tending to an aim, purpose, or result by the plainest course, or by obvious means, but obliquely or consequentially; by remote means; as, an indirect accusation, attack, answer, or proposal. [ 1913 Webster ]

By what bypaths and indirect, crooked ways
I met this crown. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not straightforward or upright; unfair; dishonest; tending to mislead or deceive. [ 1913 Webster ]

Indirect dealing will be discovered one time or other. Tillotson. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Not resulting directly from an act or cause, but more or less remotely connected with or growing out of it; as, indirect results, damages, or claims. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Logic & Math.) Not reaching the end aimed at by the most plain and direct method; as, an indirect proof, demonstration, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Indirect claims, claims for remote or consequential damage. Such claims were presented to and thrown out by the commissioners who arbitrated the damage inflicted on the United States by the Confederate States cruisers built and supplied by Great Britain. --
Indirect demonstration, a mode of demonstration in which proof is given by showing that any other supposition involves an absurdity (reductio ad absurdum), or an impossibility; thus, one quantity may be proved equal to another by showing that it can be neither greater nor less. --
Indirect discourse. (Gram.) See Direct discourse, under Direct. --
Indirect evidence, evidence or testimony which is circumstantial or inferential, but without witness; -- opposed to direct evidence. --
Indirect tax, a tax, such as customs, excises, etc., exacted directly from the merchant, but paid indirectly by the consumer in the higher price demanded for the articles of merchandise. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Not directed; aimless. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. indirection. ] Oblique course or means; dishonest practices; indirectness. “By indirections find directions out.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an direct manner; not in a straight line or course; not in express terms; obliquely; not by direct means; hence, unfairly; wrongly. [ 1913 Webster ]

To tax it indirectly by taxing their expense. A. Smith. [ 1913 Webster ]

Your crown and kingdom indirectly held. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The quality or state of being indirect; obliquity; deviousness; crookedness. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Deviation from an upright or straightforward course; unfairness; dishonesty. W. Montagu. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Indian + Gr. &unr_; resin. ] (Chem.) A dark brown resinous substance obtained from indican. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A person who manages a busness though not the owner or chief executive.
Syn. -- director, manager. [ PJC + WordNet 1.5 ]

v. t. To give a wrong direction to; as, to misdirect a passenger, or a letter; to misdirect one's energies. Shenstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. The act of directing wrongly, or the state of being so directed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Law) An error of a judge in charging the jury on a matter of law. Mozley & W. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The direction of another's attention to an unimportant place or matter, for the purpose of being able to perform an action undetected; as, misdirection is an important part of a magician's art. [ PJC ]

n. [ Pedi- + L. remus oar. ] (Zool.) A crustacean, some of whose feet serve as oars. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Law) Applied to the examination of a witness, by the party calling him, after the cross-examination. [ 1913 Webster ]