DIRECTION

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does direction mean? 

• DIRECTION (noun)
  The noun DIRECTION has 9 senses:

1. a line leading to a place or point

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

3. a general course along which something has a tendency to develop

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

5. the act of managing something

6. a message describing how something is to be done

7. the act of setting and holding a course

8. a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something

9. the concentration of attention or energy on something

  Familiarity information: DIRECTION used as a noun is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DIRECTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A line leading to a place or point

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

direction; way

Context example:

didn't know the way home

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

itinerary; path; route (an established line of travel or access)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

north-south direction (in a direction parallel with lines of longitude)

tendency; trend (a general direction in which something tends to move)

qibla (the direction of the Kaaba toward which Muslims turn for their daily prayers)

east-west direction (in a direction parallel with lines of latitude)

course; trend (general line of orientation)

aim; bearing; heading (the direction or path along which something moves or along which it lies)

Sense 2

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Context example:

he checked the direction and velocity of the wind

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

position; spatial relation (the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated)

Attribute:

incoming (arriving at a place or position)

outgoing (leaving a place or a position)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

northwest (the direction corresponding to the northwestward compass point)

west (the direction corresponding to the westward cardinal compass point)

southwest (the direction corresponding to the southwestward compass point)

south (the direction corresponding to the southward cardinal compass point)

southeast (the direction corresponding to the southeastward compass point)

east (the direction corresponding to the eastward cardinal compass point)

northeast (the direction corresponding to the northeastward compass point)

north (the direction corresponding to the northward cardinal compass point)

compass north; magnetic north; north (the direction in which a compass needle points)

compass point; point (any of 32 horizontal directions indicated on the card of a compass)

seaward (the direction toward the sea)

leeward (the direction in which the wind is blowing)

windward (the direction from which the wind is coming)

opposition (a direction opposite to another)

orientation (position or alignment relative to points of the compass or other specific directions)

frontage (the direction in which something (such as a building) faces)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A general course along which something has a tendency to develop

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

they proposed a new direction for the firm

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

disposition; inclination; tendency (an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

tenor (a settled or prevailing or habitual course of a person's life)

Sense 4

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

counsel; counseling; counselling; direction; guidance

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

content; message; subject matter; substance (what a communication that is about something is about)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

career counseling (counseling on career opportunities)

confidential information; hint; lead; steer; tip; wind (an indication of potential opportunity)

marriage counseling (counseling on marital problems and disagreements)

genetic counseling (guidance for prospective parents on the likelihood of genetic disorders in their future children)

cynosure (something that provides guidance (as Polaris guides mariners))

guideline; road map (a detailed plan or explanation to guide you in setting standards or determining a course of action)

Sense 5

Meaning:

The act of managing something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

direction; management

Context example:

is the direction of the economy a function of government?

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

social control (control exerted (actively or passively) by group action)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

disenfranchisement (the act of withdrawing certification or terminating a franchise)

guidance; steering (the act of guiding or showing the way)

canalisation; canalization; channelisation; channelization (management through specified channels of communication)

authorisation; authorization; empowerment (the act of conferring legality or sanction or formal warrant)

administration; disposal (a method of tending to or managing the affairs of a some group of people (especially the group's business affairs))

oversight; superintendence; supervising; supervision (management by overseeing the performance or operation of a person or group)

misdirection; mismanagement (management that is careless or inefficient)

misconduct (bad or dishonest management by persons supposed to act on another's behalf)

homemaking (the management of a household)

conducting (the direction of an orchestra or choir)

finance (the management of money and credit and banking and investments)

database management (creation and maintenance of a database)

handling; treatment (the management of someone or something)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A message describing how something is to be done

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

direction; instruction

Context example:

he gave directions faster than she could follow them

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

content; message; subject matter; substance (what a communication that is about something is about)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

system command (a computer user's instruction (not part of a program) that calls for action by the computer's executive program)

style (editorial directions to be followed in spelling and punctuation and capitalization and typographical display)

stage direction (an instruction written as part of the script of a play)

misdirection (incorrect directions or instructions)

rule (directions that define the way a game or sport is to be conducted)

formula; recipe (directions for making something)

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))

address; destination; name and address (written directions for finding some location; written on letters or packages that are to be delivered to that location)

rubric (directions for the conduct of Christian church services (often printed in red in a prayer book))

prescript; rule (prescribed guide for conduct or action)

rule (any one of a systematic body of regulations defining the way of life of members of a religious order)

prescription (directions prescribed beforehand; the action of prescribing authoritative rules or directions)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The act of setting and holding a course

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

direction; guidance; steering

Context example:

a new council was installed under the direction of the king

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

control (the activity of managing or exerting control over something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

aim (the action of directing something at an object)

navigation; pilotage; piloting (the guidance of ships or airplanes from place to place)

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)

driving (the act of controlling and steering the movement of a vehicle or animal)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A formal statement of a command or injunction to do something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

charge; commission; direction

Context example:

the judge's charge to the jury

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

bid; bidding; command; dictation (an authoritative direction or instruction to do something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

misdirection (an incorrect charge to a jury given by a judge)

Sense 9

Meaning:

The concentration of attention or energy on something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

centering; direction; focal point; focus; focusing; focussing

Context example:

he had no direction in his life

Hypernyms ("direction" is a kind of...):

absorption; concentration; engrossment; immersion (complete attention; intense mental effort)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "direction"):

particularism (a focus on something particular)

 Context examples 

All that energy radiates into space in every direction, and the tiny fraction that hits Earth makes life possible.

(Newest solar telescope produces first images, National Science Foundation)

His eyes caught the look in mine, and, without his thinking, followed their direction.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

This is the first step in that direction, but much more work needs to be done, said Paul Davids, a physicist and the principal investigator for the study.

(Harvesting Electrical Power from Waste Heat, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

It is much more extended in one direction than in the other and so looks squashed on one side even after accounting for its inclined projection on the sky.

(Hubble Finds Huge System of Dusty Material Enveloping the Young Star HR 4796A, NASA)

“And d’ye hear that? He’s comin’ fast. Walking right along. Guess he don’t hear us yet. Wind’s in wrong direction.”

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The black hole in this new study, referred to as Markarian 335, or Mrk 335, is about 324 million light-years from Earth in the direction of the Pegasus constellation.

(NuSTAR sees rare blurring of black hole light, NASA)

The findings may suggest new directions for development of therapeutics.

(Rare mutations reduce heart disease risk, NIH)

We followed her at a short distance, our way lying in the same direction, until we came back into the lighted and populous streets.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

It is easy to think of animals adapting to their environment through evolution and behavioral change, but we rarely consider the same relationship in the opposite direction.

(Thai Elephants Help Spread Jungle Fruit's Seeds, Sadie Witkowski/VOA)

The researchers noted that "the positive direction of the effects indicate that wider noses are more common in warm-humid climates, while narrower noses are more common in cold-dry climates."

(Nose Form Was Shaped by Climate, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)