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.
&fist; 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.
