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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