Basic Details
Word: Direct
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Going straight from one place to another without stopping or turning; also used as a verb meaning to manage, to aim, or to show someone the way.
Synonyms: straight, non-stop, frank
Antonyms: indirect, roundabout
How to Spell Direct
Syllables: di - rect
Tricky part: It starts with di, not de, and has a single r. The end is ct: students sometimes write direkt or dirrect.
Watch out for: derect, dirrect, direkt
Memory tip: Direct finishes like correct and erect: di + rect.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Plants on the windowsill get direct sunlight all morning.
Example 2: She will direct the school play this year.
Example 3: The guide will direct us to the museum gate.
Fun Fact
Direct and correct both come from Latin verbs built on regere, to guide or keep straight, and its form rectus, straight, also gave us rectangle.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the word opposite in meaning to direct as used in the sentence:
Instead of the winding hill road, the driver took the direct route along the river and reached the town an hour early.
a) roundabout
b) shortest
c) straight
d) quickest
Show answer
a) roundabout. A direct route goes straight to the town; a roundabout one winds about and wastes time.
Word Makeup
Only one of these words can take the prefix in- to form a real word. Choose it.
in
a) regular
b) direct
c) legal
d) possible
Show answer
b) direct. Direct becomes indirect; the others take il, im and ir: illegal, impossible, irregular.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the word in the sentence and choose it:
Please ritdec all your questions about the trip to the class teacher.
a) direct
b) credit
c) district
d) dictate
Show answer
a) direct. Credit uses the same six letters, but only direct fits before "all your questions".
Multiple Choice Questions
1. "The teacher will direct the school play." Here direct means ____.
a) be in charge of
b) write the script of
c) sit and watch
d) call off
Show answer
a) be in charge of
2. A direct answer is one that is ____.
a) clear and to the point
b) long and confusing
c) given late
d) written in pencil
Show answer
a) clear and to the point
