from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Direct \Di*rect"\, 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.
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What is direct to, what slides by, the question.
--Locke.
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2. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from
truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.
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Be even and direct with me. --Shak.
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3. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
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He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words.
--Locke.
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A direct and avowed interference with elections.
--Hallam.
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4. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant
in the direct line.
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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.
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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.
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