Definitions for direction
dɪˈrɛk ʃən, ˈdaɪ-di·rec·tion

Princeton's WordNet(2.86 / 7 votes)Rate this definition:

1. direction, waynoun

   a line leading to a place or point

   "he looked the other direction"; "didn't know the way home"

2. directionnoun

   the spatial relation between something and the course along which it points or moves

   "he checked the direction and velocity of the wind"

3. directionnoun

   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"

4. guidance, counsel, counseling, counselling, directionnoun

   something that provides direction or advice as to a decision or course of action

5. management, directionnoun

   the act of managing something

   "he was given overall management of the program"; "is the direction of the economy a function of government?"

6. direction, instructionnoun

   a message describing how something is to be done

   "he gave directions faster than she could follow them"

7. steering, guidance, directionnoun

   the act of setting and holding a course

   "a new council was installed under the direction of the king"

8. commission, charge, directionnoun

   a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something

   "the judge's charge to the jury"

9. focus, focusing, focussing, focal point, direction, centeringnoun

   the concentration of attention or energy on something

   "the focus of activity shifted to molecular biology"; "he had no direction in his life"

Wiktionary(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. directionnoun

   The action of directing; pointing (something) towards.

2. directionnoun

   Guidance, instruction.

   The trombonist looked to the bandleader for direction.

3. directionnoun

   The work of the director in cinema or theater; the skill of directing a film, play etc.

   The screenplay was good, but the direction was weak.

4. directionnoun

   An address.

5. directionnoun

   The path or course of a given movement, or moving body; an indication of the point toward which an object is moving.

   Keep going in the same direction.

6. Etymology: From directio.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Directionnoun

   Etymology: directio, Latin.

   1. Aim at a certain point.

   The direction of good works to a good end, is the only principle that distinguishes charity. George Smalridge, Serm.

   2. Motion impressed by a certain impulse.

   These mens opinions are not the product of judgment, or the consequence of reason; but the effects of chance and hazard, of a mind floating at all adventures, without choice, and without direction. John Locke.

   No particle of matter, nor any combination of particles, that is, no body can either move of itself, or of itself alter the direction of its motion. George Cheyne.

   3. Order; command; prescription.

   From the counsel that St. Jerome giveth Læta, of taking heed how she read the apocrypha; as also by the help of other learned mens judgments, delivered in like case, we may take direction. Richard Hooker, b. 5. s. 20.

   Ev’n now
   I put myself to thy direction. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

   He needs not our mistrust, since he delivers
   Our offices, and what we have to do,
   To the direction just. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

   The nobles of the people digged it by the direction of the law-giver. Numb. xxi. 18.

   Mens passions and God’s direction seldom agree. Charles I .

   All nature is but art unknown to thee,
   All chance, direction which thou can’st not see. Alexander Pope, Ess.

   General directions for scholastic disputers, is never to dispute upon mere trifles. Isaac Watts, Improv. Mind, p. 113.

Webster Dictionary(2.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Directionnoun

   the act of directing, of aiming, regulating, guiding, or ordering; guidance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction o/ public affairs or of a bank

2. Directionnoun

   that which is imposed by directing; a guiding or authoritative instruction; prescription; order; command; as, he grave directions to the servants

3. Directionnoun

   the name and residence of a person to whom any thing is sent, written upon the thing sent; superscription; address; as, the direction of a letter

4. Directionnoun

   the line or course upon which anything is moving or aimed to move, or in which anything is lying or pointing; aim; line or point of tendency; direct line or course; as, the ship sailed in a southeasterly direction

5. Directionnoun

   the body of managers of a corporation or enterprise; board of directors

6. Directionnoun

   the pointing of a piece with reference to an imaginary vertical axis; -- distinguished from elevation. The direction is given when the plane of sight passes through the object

Freebase(2.00 / 4 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Direction

   Direction is the information contained in the relative position of one point with respect to another point without the distance information. Directions may be either relative to some indicated reference, or absolute according to some previously agreed upon frame of reference. Direction is often indicated manually by an extended index finger or written as an arrow. On a vertically oriented sign representing a horizontal plane, such as a road sign, "forward" is usually indicated by an upward arrow. Mathematically, direction may be uniquely specified by a unit vector, or equivalently by the angles made by the most direct path with respect to a specified set of axes.

The Standard Electrical Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Direction

   (a) The direction of an electric current is assumed to be from a positively charged electrode or terminal to a negatively charged one in the outer circuit. (See Current.) (b) The direction of magnetic and electro-magnetic lines of force is assumed to be from north to south pole of a magnet in the outer circuit. It is sometimes called the positive direction. Their general course is shown in the cuts diagrammatically. The circles indicate a compass used in tracing their course. The magnetic needle tends to place itself in the direction of or tangential to the lines of force passing nearest it. (c) The direction of electrostatic lines of force is assumed to be out of a positively charged and to a negatively charged surface.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. direction

   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; naval gunfire support; spotter; spotting line.

Dictionary of Nautical Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. direction

   See ARC OF DIRECTION.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. direction

   In military mechanics, signifies the line or path of a body in motion, along which it endeavors to force its way, according to the propelling power that is given to it.

2. direction

   In gunnery, is that element of pointing which relates to the movement of the piece around an imaginary vertical axis. The direction is given when the plane of sight passes through the object. Elevation is a movement about a horizontal axis.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. direction

   A line to a specific location or point.

   The direction of the flight was shown clearly on the computer.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on April 9, 2020  

2. ---

   direction

   An accurate and specific action.

   The direction for us all is clear as we are united.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on April 9, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. direction

   Song lyrics by direction -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by direction on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Command
   • Concentration
   • Control
   • Message
   • Path
   • Social Control
   • Spatial Relation
   • Tendency

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'direction' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1163

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'direction' in Written Corpus Frequency: #1633

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'direction' in Nouns Frequency: #405

Anagrams for direction »

1. cretinoid

How to pronounce direction?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say direction in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of direction in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of direction in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of direction in a Sentence

1. Anton Pavlovich Chekhov:

   If you cry 'Forward' you must without fail make plain in what direction to go. Don't you see that if, without doing so, you call out the word to both a monk and a revolutionary, they will go in directions precisely opposite

2. Mitch Allen:

   It's a trend we'll probably see a lot going forward, some retailers, such as Bass Pro and Cabela's, offer crafts and other activities while you wait in line. Virtual Santa companies are headed in the same direction.

3. Ken Wilamowski:

   The last week sure shows you the direction the liberals are trying to drive this country, pacifism is going to lose to anarchy every time.

4. Dana Walden:

   Pass, that's not going to get on the air anymore because that's not what our audience wants. That's not a reflection of our audience, and I feel good about the direction we're moving.

5. Robert Contee:

   As the officers were getting out of the car, the suspect fired multiple shots in the direction of MPD officers.

Popularity rank by frequency of use