immediately, instantly, straightaway, straight off, directly, now, right away, at once, forthwith, like a shot
(adverb) without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening; “he answered immediately”; “found an answer straightaway”; “an official accused of dishonesty should be suspended forthwith”; “Come here now!”
directly, straight, direct
(adverb) without deviation; “the path leads directly to the lake”; “went direct to the office”
directly, flat, straight
(adverb) in a forthright manner; candidly or frankly; “he didn’t answer directly”; “told me straight out”; “came out flat for less work and more pay”
directly
(adverb) without anyone or anything intervening; “these two factors are directly related”; “he was directly responsible”; “measured the physical properties directly”
Source: WordNet® 3.1
directly (comparative more directly, superlative most directly)
In a direct manner; in a straight line or course.
In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct means.
Plainly, without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms.
Exactly; just.
Straightforwardly; honestly.
(dated) Immediately.
(South Midlands) Soon; next; when it becomes convenient.
• (in a straight line or course): straightwise, undeviatingly
• (without circumlocution or ambiguity): bluntly, clearly, downrightly, unambiguously; see also explicitly
• (exactly, just): accurately, precisely, slap bang; see also exactly
• (straightforwardly, honestly): frankly, truthfully
• (immediately): forthwith, now, tout de suite; see also immediately
• (soon, next): betimes, presently, shortly; see also soon
• indirectly
directly
As soon as; immediately.
• tridecyl
Source: Wiktionary
Di*rect"ly, adv.
1. In a direct manner; in a straight line or course. "To run directly on." Shak. Indirectly and directly too Thou hast contrived against the very life Of the defendant. Shak.
2. In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct, means.
3. Without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms. No man hath hitherto been so impious as plainly and directly to condemn prayer. Hooker.
4. Exactly; just. Stand you directly in Antonius' way. Shak.
5. Straightforwardly; honestly. I have dealt most directly in thy affair. Shak.
6. Manifestly; openly. [Obs.] Desdemona is directly in love with him. Shak.
7. Straightway; next in order; without delay; immediately. "Will she go now to bed' Directly.'" Shak.
8. Immediately after; as soon as. Directly he stopped, the coffin was removed. Dickens.
Note: 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. 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.
Di*rect", a. Etym: [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. What is direct to, what slides by, the question. Locke.
2. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken. Be even and direct with me. Shak.
3. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous. He howhere, that I know, says it in direct words. Locke. A direct and avowed interference with elections. Hallam.
4. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.
5. (Astron.)
Definition: 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.
Di*rect", 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.
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. 2 Thess. iii. 5. The next points to which I will direct your attention. Lubbock.
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. Is. lxi. 8.
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. Shak.
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.
Di*rect", v. i.
Definition: To give direction; to point out a course; to act as guide. Wisdom is profitable to direct. Eccl. x. 10.
Di*rect", n. (Mus.)
Definition: A character, thus [ Moore (Encyc. of Music).
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
31 January 2025
(noun) the act of dispersing or diffusing something; “the dispersion of the troops”; “the diffusion of knowledge”
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