Definition of direct verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

direct

verb

/dəˈrekt/,

/daɪˈrekt/

/dəˈrekt/,

/daɪˈrekt/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they direct	/dəˈrekt/, /daɪˈrekt/ /dəˈrekt/, /daɪˈrekt/
he / she / it directs	/dəˈrekts/, /daɪˈrekts/ /dəˈrekts/, /daɪˈrekts/
past simple directed	/dəˈrektɪd/, /daɪˈrektɪd/ /dəˈrektɪd/, /daɪˈrektɪd/
past participle directed	/dəˈrektɪd/, /daɪˈrektɪd/ /dəˈrektɪd/, /daɪˈrektɪd/
-ing form directing	/dəˈrektɪŋ/, /daɪˈrektɪŋ/ /dəˈrektɪŋ/, /daɪˈrektɪŋ/

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control

[transitive] direct somebody/something to control or be in charge of somebody/something

He was asked to take command and direct operations.
A police officer was directing traffic.
How much should the teacher guide and direct the students?
A new manager has been appointed to direct the project.
The campaign was carefully directed from party central office.

Extra Examples

The project managers direct the day-to-day operations of the project.
Does a business have the right to direct and control how workers do the tasks for which they are hired?
Hubert directs the activities of his laboratory assistants.
Not all classroom activities need to be directed by the teacher.
These attacks were planned and directed by criminal groups.

Questions about grammar and vocabulary?

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film/play/music

[intransitive, transitive] to be in charge of actors in a play or film, or musicians in a band, orchestra, etc.

She prefers to act rather than direct.
direct somebody/something He directed the school play.
The film was written and directed by Sofia Coppola.
She now directs a large choir.

Collocations Cinema/the moviesCinema/the moviesWatching

go to/take somebody to (see) a film
go to/sit in (British English) the cinema/(North American English) the (movie) theater
rent a film/DVD
download/stream a film
burn/copy/rip a DVD
see/watch a film/DVD/preview/trailer

Showing

show/screen a film
promote/distribute/review a film
(British English) be on at the cinema
be released on/come out on/be out on DVD
captivate/delight/grip/thrill the audience
do well/badly at the box office
get a lot of/live up to the hype

Film-making

write/co-write a film/script/screenplay
direct/produce/make/shoot/edit a film/sequel
make a romantic comedy/a thriller/an action movie
do/work on a sequel/remake
film/shoot the opening scene/an action sequence/footage (of something)
compose/create/do/write the soundtrack
cut/edit (out) a scene/sequence

Acting

have/get/do an audition
get/have/play a leading/starring/supporting role
play a character/James Bond/the bad guy
act in/appear in/star in a film/remake
do/perform/attempt a stunt
work in/make it big in Hollywood
forge/carve/make/pursue a career in Hollywood

Describing films

the camera pulls back/pans over something/zooms in (on something)
the camera focuses on something/lingers on something
shoot somebody/show somebody in extreme close-up
use odd/unusual camera angles
be filmed/shot on location/in a studio
be set/take place in London/in the ’60s
have a happy ending/plot twist

Extra Examples

He directs with flair and sensitivity.
She wrote a play and asked her friend to direct.
The movie is expertly directed and beautifully photographed.
Who directed the original theatre production?
He directed two episodes of theTV drama ‘The Sopranos’.
He is a famed cellist and conductor who, for many years, directed the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC.
She directs the baroque orchestra at London's Royal Academy of Music.

Topics Film and theatreb1

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

expertly
masterfully
skilfully/skillfully
…

preposition

by
with

See full entry

aim

[transitive] to aim something at a particular goal or person, or in a particular direction

direct something to something/somebody He directed his attention to the next task.
direct something towards/toward something/somebody His anger was mostly directed towards Peter.
direct something towards/toward doing something All our efforts should be directed towards helping those who need it.
direct something at something/somebody Her criticism was directed at her own superiors.
She directs her gaze straight at the viewer.
The book is directed at younger readers.
direct something against something/somebody/yourself Most of his anger was directed against himself.
direct something + adv./prep. He directed the light straight in her face.

Extra Examples

The machine directs a powerful beam at the affected part of the body.
Tax cuts have been directed primarily at the better-off.
The attacks were directed solely at military targets.
The machine directs light onto a special film.
This merely directs attention away from the real issues.
We should be directing our energies towards understanding each other.
violence directed specifically at ethnic minorities
criticism clearly directed at the Labour Party
The criticisms were clearly directed at the President.
I'm tired of the negativity directed against people on our own side.
Hackers mounted coordinated attacks against several websites.

Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb

mainly
mostly
primarily
…

preposition

against
at
away from
…

See full entry

show the way

[transitive] to tell or show somebody how to get to somewhere or where to go

direct somebody It's not far—I'll direct you.
direct somebody to something Could you direct me to the station?
He was directed to a table beside the window.
direct somebody + adv./prep. The app directs you along the best cycle route to your destination.

Synonyms taketakelead ▪ escort ▪ drive ▪ show ▪ walk ▪ guide ▪ usher ▪ directThese words all mean to go with somebody from one place to another.take to go with somebody from one place to another, for example in order to show them something or to show them the way to a place:

It’s too far to walk—I’ll take you by car.

lead to go with or go in front of somebody in order to show them the way or to make them go in the right direction:

Firefighters led the survivors to safety.

escort to go with somebody in order to protect or guard them or to show them the way:

The President arrived, escorted by twelve bodyguards.

drive to take somebody somewhere in a car, taxi, etc:

My mother drove us to the airport.

show to take somebody to a particular place, in the right direction, or along the correct route:

The attendant showed us to our seats.

walk to go somewhere with somebody on foot, especially in order to make sure that they get there safely; to take an animal, especially a dog, for a walk or make an animal walk somewhere:

He always walked her home.
Have you walked the dog yet today?

guide to show somebody the way to a place, often by going with them; to show somebody a place that you know well:

She guided us through the busy streets.
We were guided around the museums.

usher (rather formal) to politely take or show somebody where they should go, especially within a building:

She ushered her guests to their seats.

direct (rather formal) to tell or show somebody how to get somewhere or where to go:

A young woman directed them to the station.

Patterns

to take/lead/escort/drive/show/walk/guide/usher/direct somebody to/out of/into something
to take/lead/escort/drive/show/walk/guide somebody around/round
to take/lead/escort/drive/walk somebody home
to take/lead/escort/guide somebody to safety
to lead/show the way

Extra Examples

You find yourself in a maze with no map or compass to direct you.
a detour that directs you through narrow, dimly lit streets
I found myself being directed into a dark room.
She directed us back to our starting point.
He's a seasoned traveller and he'll direct you anywhere you want to go.

give order

[transitive] (formal) to give an official order synonym order

direct somebody to do something The police officers had been directed to search the building.
direct that… The judge directed that the mother be given custody of the children.
(British English also) The judge directed that the mother should be given custody of the children.

Synonyms orderordertell ▪ instruct ▪ direct ▪ commandThese words all mean to use your position of authority to say to somebody that they must do something.order to use your position of authority to tell somebody to do something:

The company was ordered to pay compensation to its former employee.
‘Come here at once!’ she ordered.

tell to say to somebody that they must or should do something:

He was told to sit down and wait.
Don’t tell me what to do!

instruct (rather formal) to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way:

The letter instructed him to report to headquarters immediately.

direct (formal) to give an official order:

The judge directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.

command to use your position of authority to tell somebody to do something:

He commanded his men to retreat.

order or command?Order is a more general word than command and can be used about anyone in a position of authority, such as a parent, teacher or government telling somebody to do something. Command is slightly stronger than order and is the normal word to use about an army officer giving orders, or in any context where it is normal to give orders without any discussion about them. It is less likely to be used about a parent or teacher.Patterns

to order/tell/instruct/direct/command somebody to do something
to order/instruct/direct/command that…
to do something as ordered/told/instructed/directed/commanded

Extra Examples

The judge directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.
The law will come into force next year, as directed by the federal government.
You should be prepared to carry out all reasonable duties as directed by the principal.

letter/comment

[transitive] direct something to… (formal) to send a letter, etc. to a particular place or to a particular person

Direct any complaints to the Customer Services department.
I directed my question to the chair.
Enquiries should be directed to Mark Davis.

Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin directus, past participle of dirigere, from di- ‘distinctly’ or de- ‘down’ + regere ‘put straight’.

See direct in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee direct in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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Nearby words

perspective

noun

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