di·rec·tion (d -r k sh n, d -)n. 1. The act or function of directing. 2. Management, supervision, or guidance of an action or operation. 3. The art or action of musical or theatrical directing. 4. Music A word or phrase in a score indicating how a passage is to be played or sung. 5. An instruction or series of instructions for doing or finding something. Often used in the plural. 6. An authoritative indication; an order or command. 7. a. The distance-independent relationship between two points in space that specifies the angular position of either with respect to the other; the relationship by which the alignment or orientation of any position with respect to any other position is established. b. A position to which motion or another position is referred. c. A line leading to a place or point. d. The line or course along which a person or thing moves. 8. The statement in degrees of the angle measured between due north and a given line or course on a compass. 9. A course or area of development; a tendency toward a particular end or goal: charting a new direction for the company. [Middle English, arrangement, from Latin d r cti , drctin-, from drctus, past participle of drigere, to direct; see direct.]di·rec tion·less adj. |
direction [dɪˈrɛkʃən daɪ-]
n
1. the act of directing or the state of being directed
2. management, control, or guidance
3. (Performing Arts / Theatre) (Performing Arts) the work of a stage or film director
4. the course or line along which a person or thing moves, points, or lies
5. (Mathematics & Measurements / Navigation) the course along which a ship, aircraft, etc., is travelling, expressed as the angle between true or magnetic north and an imaginary line through the main fore-and-aft axis of the vessel
6. the place towards which a person or thing is directed
7. a line of action; course
8. (Electronics & Computer Science / Communications & Information) the name and address on a letter, parcel, etc.
9. (Music / Classical Music) Music the process of conducting an orchestra, choir, etc.
10. (Music, other) Music an instruction in the form of a word or symbol heading or occurring in the body of a passage, movement, or piece to indicate tempo, dynamics, mood, etc.
11. (Mathematics) (modifier) Maths
a. (of an angle) being any one of the three angles that a line in space makes with the three positive directions of the coordinate axes. Usually given as α, β, and γ with respect to the x-, y-, and z-axes
b. (of a cosine) being the cosine of any of the direction angles See also directions
Direction
as the crow flies In a straight line; by the most direct route. This expression stems from the widely held belief that a crow flies in a straight line from one point to another. Sporting Magazine used the phrase as early as 1810.
bolt upright Straight up; stiffly upright; on end. This expression derives from bolt meaning ‘projectile, arrow.’ It was used as early as 1386 in Chaucer’s Reeve’s Tale.
follow one’s nose See INTUITION.
from pillar to post Aimlessly or futilely from place to place; purposelessly from one thing to another; from predicament to predicament, often with the sense of being beleaguered or harassed. The expression is among the oldest in the language, first appearing as from post to pillar.
Thus from post to pillar was he made to dance. (Lydgate, Assembly of Gods, 1420)
There is little agreement regarding its origin. One theory holds that it stems from tennis but fails to explain how. Other sources see its roots in manège: the pillar being the column at the center of the riding ground, the posts those that in pairs mark its circumference. Yet another hypothesizes that it derives from the custom of bloodthirsty crowds following convicted persons “from pillory to whipping-post.” Today the phrase most often describes a lack of direction or purpose or the futility of receiving the runaround, as with bureaucratic red tape. It also exists as an adjective.
The pillar-to-post travels from one official to another. (Pall Mall Gazette, August, 1887)
go around Robin Hood’s barn To arrive at one’s destination by a circuitous route; to proceed in a very roundabout way. The origin of the expression is unknown. It has no logical association with the legendary Robin Hood, who, of course, had no barn, though it may have been formed by analogy with other possessives whose meanings are connected with that figure’s exploits: Robin Hood’s mile ‘one several times the recognized length’; Robin Hood’s bargain ‘a cheap purchase.’ The expression appeared in print at least as early as the 18th century.
I can sell them abundantly fast without the trouble of going round Robin Hood’s barn. (Mason Locke Weems, Letters, 1797)
make a beeline See PACE.
In artillery and naval gunfire support, a term used by a spotter and/or observer in a call for fire to indicate the bearing of the spotting line. See also bearing; call for fire; naval gunfire support; spotter; spotting line.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  direction - a line leading to a place or point; "he looked the other direction"; "didn't know the way home"trend, course - general line of orientation; "the river takes a southern course"; "the northeastern trend of the coast" east-west direction - in a direction parallel with lines of latitude north-south direction - in a direction parallel with lines of longitude qibla - the direction of the Kaaba toward which Muslims turn for their daily prayers |
| 2. | direction - the spatial relation between something and the course along which it points or moves; "he checked the direction and velocity of the wind" spatial relation, position - the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; "the position of the hands on the clock"; "he specified the spatial relations of every piece of furniture on the stage" frontage - the direction in which something (such as a building) faces orientation - position or alignment relative to points of the compass or other specific directions opposition - a direction opposite to another windward - the direction from which the wind is coming leeward - the direction in which the wind is blowing seaward - the direction toward the sea compass point, point - any of 32 horizontal directions indicated on the card of a compass; "he checked the point on his compass" north - the direction corresponding to the northward cardinal compass point northeast - the direction corresponding to the northeastward compass point east - the direction corresponding to the eastward cardinal compass point southeast - the direction corresponding to the southeastward compass point south - the direction corresponding to the southward cardinal compass point southwest - the direction corresponding to the southwestward compass point west - the direction corresponding to the westward cardinal compass point northwest - the direction corresponding to the northwestward compass point | |
| 3. | direction - a general course along which something has a tendency to develop; "I couldn't follow the direction of his thoughts"; "his ideals determined the direction of his career"; "they proposed a new direction for the firm" inclination, tendency, disposition - an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others; "he had an inclination to give up too easily"; "a tendency to be too strict" tenor - a settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life; "nothing disturbed the even tenor of her ways" | |
| 4. |  direction - something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of actionroad map, guideline - a detailed plan or explanation to guide you in setting standards or determining a course of action; "the president said he had a road map for normalizing relations with Vietnam" career counseling - counseling on career opportunities cynosure - something that provides guidance (as Polaris guides mariners); "let faith be your cynosure to walk by" genetic counseling - guidance for prospective parents on the likelihood of genetic disorders in their future children marriage counseling - counseling on marital problems and disagreements | |
| 5. |  direction - the act of managing something; "he was given overall management of the program"; "is the direction of the economy a function of government?"social control - control exerted (actively or passively) by group action conducting - the direction of an orchestra or choir; "he does not use a baton for conducting" database management - creation and maintenance of a database finance - the management of money and credit and banking and investments homemaking - the management of a household misconduct - bad or dishonest management by persons supposed to act on another's behalf mismanagement, misdirection - management that is careless or inefficient; "he accomplished little due to the mismanagement of his energies" treatment, handling - the management of someone or something; "the handling of prisoners"; "the treatment of water sewage"; "the right to equal treatment in the criminal justice system" superintendence, supervising, supervision, oversight - management by overseeing the performance or operation of a person or group administration, disposal - a method of tending to or managing the affairs of a some group of people (especially the group's business affairs) empowerment, authorisation, authorization - the act of conferring legality or sanction or formal warrant disenfranchisement - the act of withdrawing certification or terminating a franchise channelisation, channelization, canalisation, canalization - management through specified channels of communication | |
| 6. |  direction - a message describing how something is to be done; "he gave directions faster than she could follow them"rule - any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order; "the rule of St. Dominic" rubric - directions for the conduct of Christian church services (often printed in red in a prayer book) misdirection - incorrect directions or instructions name and address, destination, address - written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location markup - detailed stylistic instructions for typesetting something that is to be printed; manual markup is usually written on the copy (e.g. underlining words that are to be set in italics) prescription - directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions; "I tried to follow her prescription for success" rule - directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted; "he knew the rules of chess" stage direction - an instruction written as part of the script of a play style - editorial directions to be followed in spelling and punctuation and capitalization and typographical display system command - a computer user's instruction (not part of a program) that calls for action by the computer's executive program | |
| 7. | direction - the act of setting and holding a course; "a new council was installed under the direction of the king" driving - the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal control - the activity of managing or exerting control over something; "the control of the mob by the police was admirable" aim - the action of directing something at an object; "he took aim and fired" celestial guidance - a method of controlling the flight of a missile or spacecraft by reference to the positions of celestial bodies inertial guidance, inertial navigation - a method of controlling the flight of a missile by devices that respond to inertial forces command guidance - a method of controlling the flight of a missile by commands originating from the ground or from another missile terrestrial guidance - a method of controlling the flight of a missile by devices that respond to the strength and direction of the earth's gravitational field | |
| 8. | direction - a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something; "the judge's charge to the jury" misdirection - an incorrect charge to a jury given by a judge | |
| 9. | direction - the concentration of attention or energy on something; "the focus of activity shifted to molecular biology"; "he had no direction in his life" particularism - a focus on something particular |
direction
noun
1. way, course, line, road, track, bearing, route, path, orientation We drove ten miles in the opposite direction.
2. tendency, attitude, bent, current, trend, leaning, drift, bias, orientation, tack, tenor, proclivity They threatened a mass walk-out if the party did not change direction.
3. management, government, control, charge, administration, leadership, command, guidance, supervision, governance, oversight, superintendence The house was built under the direction of his partner.
plural noun
instructions, rules, information, plan, briefing, regulations, recommendations, indication, guidelines, guidance Don't throw away the directions until we've finished cooking.
Translations
direction [dɪˈrekʃən]
A. N
1. (= course) → dirección f
in the direction of → hacia, en dirección a
sense of direction → sentido m de la orientación
in the opposite direction → en sentido contrario
in all directions → por todos lados
they ran off in different directions → salieron corriendo cada uno por su lado
in the direction of → hacia, en dirección a
sense of direction → sentido m de la orientación
in the opposite direction → en sentido contrario
in all directions → por todos lados
they ran off in different directions → salieron corriendo cada uno por su lado
3. directions (= instructions) (for use) → instrucciones fpl; (to a place) → señas fpl
directions for use → modo m de empleo, instrucciones fpl de uso
directions for use → modo m de empleo, instrucciones fpl de uso
direction [daɪˈrɛkʃən dɪˈrɛkʃən]
n
[traveller] → direction f
We're going in the wrong direction → Nous allons dans la mauvaise direction.
in the opposite direction → dans l'autre sens
in the direction of → dans la direction de, vers
in all directions (= everywhere) → dans toutes les directions
sense of direction → sens m de l'orientation
We're going in the wrong direction → Nous allons dans la mauvaise direction.
in the opposite direction → dans l'autre sens
in the direction of → dans la direction de, vers
in all directions (= everywhere) → dans toutes les directions
sense of direction → sens m de l'orientation
(CINEMA, TV) → réalisation f directions
npl
(to a place) → indications fpl
to ask for directions → demander sa route, demander son chemin
to ask sb for directions → demander son chemin à qn
to give sb directions to sth → donner des indications à qn pour qch
to ask for directions → demander sa route, demander son chemin
to ask sb for directions → demander son chemin à qn
to give sb directions to sth → donner des indications à qn pour qch
direction
direction:
n
(lit, fig: = way) → Richtung f; in every direction/all directions → in jede Richtung/alle Richtungen; in the wrong/right direction (lit, fig) → in die falsche/richtige Richtung; in the direction of Hamburg/the hotel → in Richtung Hamburg/des Hotels; what direction did he go in? → in welche Richtung ist er gegangen/gefahren?; a sense of direction (lit) → Orientierungssinn m; (fig) → ein Ziel nt → im Leben; new directions in modern philosophy → neue Wege in der modernen Philosophie
(of film, actors) → Regie f; (of play also) → Spielleitung f; (of radio/TV programme) → Leitung f; under the direction of → unter der Regie von
directions pl (= instructions) → Anweisungen pl; (to a place) → Angaben pl; (for use) → (Gebrauchs)anweisung or -anleitung f; (in recipe etc) → Hinweise pl
direction:
direction finder
n → Peilantenne f
direction key
n (Comput) → Richtungstaste f
direction [dɪˈrɛkʃ/ən]
1. n
a. (way) → direzione f (fig) → scopo, direzione
in the direction of → in direzione di
sense of direction → senso dell'orientamento
in the direction of → in direzione di
sense of direction → senso dell'orientamento
b. (management, of business) → direzione f, amministrazione f; (of play, film, programme) → regia
c. directions npl (instructions, to a place) → indicazioni fpl; (for use) → istruzioni fpl; (advice) → chiarimenti mpl
to ask for directions → chiedere la strada
stage directions → didascalie fpl
to ask for directions → chiedere la strada
stage directions → didascalie fpl
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