[syn: directly, flat, straight]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Directly \Di*rect"ly\, adv.
1. In a direct manner; in a straight line or course. "To run
directly on." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
Indirectly and directly too
Thou hast contrived against the very life
Of the defendant. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. In a straightforward way; without anything intervening;
not by secondary, but by direct, means.
[1913 Webster]
3. Without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in
express terms.
[1913 Webster]
No man hath hitherto been so impious as plainly and
directly to condemn prayer. --Hooker.
[1913 Webster]
4. Exactly; just.
[1913 Webster]
Stand you directly in Antonius' way. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
5. Straightforwardly; honestly.
[1913 Webster]
I have dealt most directly in thy affair. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
6. Manifestly; openly. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Desdemona is directly in love with him. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
7. Straightway; next in order; without delay; immediately.
"Will she go now to bed?' ?Directly.'" --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
8. Immediately after; as soon as.
[1913 Webster]
Directly he stopped, the coffin was removed.
--Dickens.
[1913 Webster]
Note: This use of the word is common in England, especially
in colloquial speech, but it can hardly be regarded as
a well-sanctioned or desirable use.
[1913 Webster]
Directly proportional (Math.), proportional in the order of
the terms; increasing or decreasing together, and with a
constant ratio; -- opposed to inversely proportional.
Syn: Immediately; forthwith; straightway; instantly;
instantaneously; soon; promptly; openly; expressly.
Usage: -- Directly, Immediately, Instantly,
Instantaneously. Directly denotes, without any delay
or diversion of attention; immediately implies,
without any interposition of other occupation;
instantly implies, without any intervention of time.
Hence, "I will do it directly," means, "I will go
straightway about it." "I will do it immediately,"
means, "I will do it as the very next thing." "I will
do it instantly," allows not a particle of delay.
Instantaneously, like instantly, marks an interval too
small to be appreciable, but commonly relates to
physical causes; as, the powder touched by fire
instantaneously exploded.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
directly
adv 1: without deviation; "the path leads directly to the lake";
"went direct to the office" [syn: directly, straight,
direct]
2: without anyone or anything intervening; "these two factors
are directly related"; "he was directly responsible";
"measured the physical properties directly"
3: without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening; "he
answered immediately"; "found an answer straightaway"; "an
official accused of dishonesty should be suspended
forthwith"; "Come here now!" [syn: immediately,
instantly, straightaway, straight off, directly,
now, right away, at once, forthwith, like a shot]
4: in a forthright manner; candidly or frankly; "he didn't
answer directly"; "told me straight out"; "came out flat for
less work and more pay" [syn: directly, flat, straight]
[ant: indirectly]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
122 Moby Thesaurus words for "directly":
PDQ, absolutely, after a while, all joking aside, anon, apace,
at once, before long, betimes, bluffly, bluntly, broadly,
brusquely, by and by, candidly, completely, dead, dead ahead,
decisively, definitely, direct, down the alley, due, due north,
entirely, ere long, even, exactly, expeditiously, expressly,
faithfully, forthright, forthwith, frankly, genuinely, immediately,
in a beeline, in a moment, in a while, in all conscience,
in all respects, in all seriousness, in due course, in due time,
in every respect, in line with, in no time, in plain English,
in plain words, instanter, instantly, ipsissimis verbis, just,
literally, literatim, momentarily, naturally, on the beam,
on the instant, on the spot, on the straight, openheartedly,
openly, outspokenly, plain-spokenly, plainly, plumb, point-blank,
positively, precisely, presently, pretty damned quick, promptly,
pronto, quickly, right, right away, right off, rigidly, rigorously,
roundly, shortly, sincerely, smartly, soon, speedily, square,
squarely, straight, straight across, straight ahead, straightaway,
straightforward, straightforwardly, straightforwards, straightly,
straightway, strictly, subito, summarily, swiftly, to the letter,
unaffectedly, unassumingly, unconstrainedly, undeviatingly,
unerringly, unpretentiously, unreservedly, unrestrainedly,
unswervingly, unveeringly, verbally, verbatim,
verbatim et litteratim, when, with all speed, with no nonsense,
without delay, without further delay, word by word,
word for word