VOOZH about

URL: https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/direct-directly.3473218/

⇱ direct / directly | WordReference Forums

Menu
Install the app
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.

direct / directly

goldencypress

Senior Member
India - Malayalam
  • She said that she wanted to speak to you directly.
Would it be wrong if I substituted DIRECTLY with DIRECT in the above sentence?

Thank you.
What do you mean by "yes"? The OP's question was "Would it be wrong?".

OED approves the use of direct as an adverb (meaning directly), both when the meaning is as in #4, and when it means presently or immediately.
What do you mean by "yes"? The OP's question was "Would it be wrong?".

OED approves the use of direct as an adverb (meaning directly), both when the meaning is as in #4, and when it means presently or immediately.
Thank you, Edinburgher.
That said, I think it would be highly unusual to use it with the meaning of presently or immediately. It suits the meaning in (what was #4 and is now) #2 very well, though.
That said, I think it would be highly unusual to use it with the meaning of presently or immediately. It suits the meaning in (what was #4 and is now) #2 very well, though.
Thank you. You have been very kind.
That said, I think it would be highly unusual to use it with the meaning of presently or immediately.

Yes unusual. My grandmother and her generation used it this way, but it is no longer heard like this in Australia. For example,

I am at the front door letting in a neighbour and my grandmother calls out from the kitchen, “Tell Mrs Archer I’ll be out to speak to her directly. I just need to get this cake out of the oven.”​
Tell Mrs Archer I’ll be out to speak to her directly. I just need to get this cake out of the oven.
What I meant (perhaps I wasn't clear enough) was that it would be most unusual to use direct like this. It sounds perfectly fine (if slightly dated) with directly.
What I meant (perhaps I wasn't clear enough) was that it would be most unusual to use direct like this. It sounds perfectly fine (if slightly dated) with directly.
I can see now that is indeed what you said. My apologies.
I also can’t imagine direct used like this.
In a direct manner. Not through an intermediary.
You need to be more specific before I can answer yes or no. Both "in a direct manner" and "not through an intermediary" have multiple meanings, some of which they share and some of which they don't.

Can you provide a sample scenario and comments about what you want to say vs. what you don't want to say?
Back
Top Bottom