Di*rect", a. (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.
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.
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 nowhere, 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.) 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. To give
direction; to point out a course; to act as guide.
Wisdom is profitable to direct.
Eccl. x. 10.
Di*rect", n. (Mus.) 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).
Di*rect", a. (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.
