Direct \Di*rect"\, a. [L. directus, p. p. of dirigere to direct:
   cf. F. direct. See {Dress}, and cf. {Dirge}.]
   1. Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by
      the short or shortest way to a point or end; as, a direct
      line; direct means.
      
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            What is direct to, what slides by, the question.
                                                  --Locke.
      
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   2. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from
      truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.
      
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            Be even and direct with me.           --Shak.
      
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   3. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
      
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            He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words.
                                                  --Locke.
      
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            A direct and avowed interference with elections.
                                                  --Hallam.
      
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   4. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant
      in the direct line.
      
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   5. (Astron.) In the direction of the general planetary
      motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs;
      not {retrograde}; -- said of the motion of a celestial
      body.
      
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   6. (Political Science) Pertaining to, or effected immediately
      by, action of the people through their votes instead of
      through one or more representatives or delegates; as,
      direct nomination, direct legislation.
      [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

   {Direct action}.
      (a) (Mach.) See {Direct-acting}.
      (b) (Trade unions) See {Syndicalism}, below. [Webster 1913
          Suppl.]

   {Direct discourse} (Gram.), the language of any one quoted
      without change in its form; as, he said "I can not come;"
      -- correlative to {indirect discourse}, in which there is
      change of form; as, he said that he could not come. They
      are often called respectively by their Latin names,
      {oratio directa}, and {oratio obliqua}.

   {Direct evidence} (Law), evidence which is positive or not
      inferential; -- opposed to {circumstantial evidence}, or
      {indirect evidence}. -- This distinction, however, is
      merely formal, since there is no direct evidence that is
      not circumstantial, or dependent on circumstances for its
      credibility. --Wharton.

   {Direct examination} (Law), the first examination of a
      witness in the orderly course, upon the merits. --Abbott.

   {Direct fire} (Mil.), fire, the direction of which is
      perpendicular to the line of troops or to the parapet
      aimed at.

   {Direct process} (Metal.), one which yields metal in working
      condition by a single process from the ore. --Knight.

   {Direct tax}, a tax assessed directly on lands, etc., and
      polls, distinguished from taxes on merchandise, or
      customs, and from excise.
      
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