I. di ‧ rect ‧ ly 1 S2 W2 /dəˈrektli, dɪˈrektli, daɪ-/ BrE AmE adverb
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ direction , ↑ directness , ↑ director ; verb : ↑ direct , ↑ redirect ; adverb : ↑ directly ≠ ↑ indirectly ; adjective : ↑ direct ≠ ↑ indirect ]
1 . with no other person, action, process etc between OPP indirectly :
The new property tax law won’t directly affect us.
We hope to bring together the countries directly involved in the conflict.
directly to/from
Application for admission to this course should be made directly to the University.
2 . exactly in a particular position or direction SYN right
directly in front of/behind/under etc something
It was a small house, directly behind the church.
The girl was sitting directly opposite him.
Have you noticed how he never looks directly at you?
3 . speak/ask/answer etc directly to say exactly what you mean without trying to hide anything:
Jeff has a job in mind, but refuses to say directly what it is.
4 . British English old-fashioned very soon:
He should be here directly, if you don’t mind waiting.
5 . British English old-fashioned immediately
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THESAURUS
▪ exactly used when emphasizing that something is no more and no less than a number or amount, or is completely correct in every detail:
The bill came to exactly $1,000.
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Police are still trying to find out exactly how the accident happened.
▪ precisely exactly – used when it is important to be sure that something is completely correct in every detail:
We need to know precisely how much this is going to cost.
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Can you tell us precisely where he is?
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What precisely do you mean by ‘relativity’?
▪ just especially spoken exactly – used especially when saying that things are exactly right, exactly the same, or exactly in a particular position:
The frame is just the right size for the picture.
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He and his brother are just the same.
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The hotel is just next to the station.
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A new handbag! That’s just what I wanted.
▪ right exactly in a particular position or direction:
The ball hit me right in the eye!
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There’s the house, right in front of you.
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I got a mosquito bite right on the end of my nose.
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He sat down right beside her.
▪ directly exactly in a particular position or direction Directly is more formal than right :
Amy was sitting directly opposite me.
▪ on the dot informal at exactly a particular time, and no earlier or later than that time:
She always leaves the office at 5.30 p.m. on the dot.
▪ bang British English informal exactly – used especially in the following very informal expressions:
The train was bang on time.
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The shot was bang on target.
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Cockatoo Island is right bang in the middle of Sydney harbour.
II. directly 2 BrE AmE conjunction British English old-fashioned
as soon as:
I came directly I got your message.