n. [ Pref. di- + radiation. ] The emission and diffusion of rays of light. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]