I. də̇ˈrek(t)lē or -li or ( rapid in senses other than 6 ) ˈdre- or ( esp in senses other than 6 ) (ˈ)di|re-; in sense 6 often ˈdrekl- in both the US & England and chiefly substand South təˈrekl- adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from direct (II) + -ly
1.
a. : without any intervening space or time : next in order : squarely , exactly
directly opposite the city hall
directly in the center of the room
during the decade directly before his birth
he holds a position directly below that of the president
b. : in a straight line : without deviation of course
the turnpike here runs directly east and west
a dredged channel allows boats to get in and out directly
: by the shortest way
we headed directly into the mountain country
2.
a. : straight on along a definite course of action without deflection or slackening
proceeds to go directly to a children's hospital
the problem being directly attacked
directly or by the most circuitous routes the fountain of happiness is what all living entities fumble and grope toward — J.C.Powys
b. : purposefully or decidedly and straight to the mark
directly engaged in replacing muscle power with machine power
: in a straightforward manner without hesitation, circumlocution, or equivocation : plainly and not by implication
he directly criticizes contemporary society
: in unmistakable terms : unqualifiedly
deals directly with the stated purpose of the book — Stanley Newman
c. : without divergence from the source or the original
that the only valid method of painting was to paint directly from nature and to imitate nature as closely as possible — Michael Kitson
d. : simultaneously and exactly or equally
that certain types of costs are neither directly variable with output nor entirely fixed — Harold Koontz & Cyril O'Donnell
3. : in close relational proximity
increased interest in art may be directly traceable to present easy and lucrative employment
new evidence bearing directly on the question of guilt
directly concerned in the founding of the university
4.
a. : without any intervening agency or instrumentality or determining influence : without any intermediate step
writes directly in Spanish
paints directly on canvas
take part in the government either directly or through freely chosen representatives
b. : in the exact words of the original : verbatim
permitted to take notes but enjoined not to quote anything directly
5.
a. : in independent action without any sharing of authority or responsibility
the initial steps in the process of demilitarization and democratization were handled directly by the American occupying forces — C.E.Black & E.C.Helmreich
b. : face-to-face : in person
dealing directly with the strikers
6.
a. : without a moment's delay : at once : immediately
get a doctor directly
b. : after a little : in a little while : shortly , presently
we'll discuss that directly ; first we must act on this motion
II. like sense 6 of directly I conjunction
chiefly Britain : immediately after : as soon as
apparently written directly their agreement was made — K.J.Fielding
directly we enter it we breast some new wave of emotion — Virginia Woolf