direction English · revision 1768

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1407|origins=la regere}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /dɪˈɹɛk.ʃən/, /daɪˈɹɛk.ʃən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|direccioun|t=arrangement]],^(AHD 2000)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) [[bor|la|dīrēctiō|t=a making straight; aiming, directing]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(AHD 2000) partly through [[frm|direction]],^(MWU 2024)^(RHWU) from [[m|la|dīrēctus]], past participle of [[m|la|dīrigere|t=to set straight, arrange; to direct]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) from [[m|la|dis-|t=apart]] and [[m|la|regere|t=to direct, guide, keep straight]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Orderly arrangement of matters; arrangement, order (1407 in the OED and the Historical Thesaurus; the Middle English sense in the American Heritage Dictionary), and the action of directing or guiding (late 14th century in Etymonline).^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)^(AHD 2000)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Etymonline traces the first English use to the action of directing or guiding (late 14th century),^(Etymonline) while the OED's earliest quotation is for an arranged order of matters (1407), a sense obsolete by the mid-16th century.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) Government and management followed in the early 15th century,^(Etymonline) and the sense of an instruction on how to proceed also dates from the early 15th century.^(Etymonline) The address on a letter, now archaic, comes from “directing” a letter (1524 for the action, 1586 for the address).^(HTOED)^(MW Collegiate) Instructions for reaching a place are recorded from the 1590s,^(Etymonline)^(HTOED) and ''directions'' in the plural by 1749.^(Etymonline) The spatial sense, the course or line along which something moves or points, appeared in the 1660s with the new physics.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED) The body of directors, a directorate, dates from 1710,^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) and the art of directing a play or film from 1938.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) Johnson (1755) listed “aim at a certain point”, “motion impressed by a certain impulse” and “order; command; prescription”.^(Johnson 1755)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * late 14th century – the action of directing or guiding (Etymonline).^(Etymonline)

+ * 1407 – arrangement, order (obsolete by 1548).^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+ * early 15th century – an instruction; management.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1524 – addressing a letter.^(HTOED)

+ * 1596 – instructions for getting to a place.^(HTOED)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1660s – the line or course of movement.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED)

+ * 1710 – a body of directors.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+ * 1938 – the directing of a play or film.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[guidance|alt=Guidance]], supervision or [[management]] of an action or operation.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An instruction for doing something or for reaching a place (usually plural).^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(SOED 2002)

+ # An authoritative order or [[command]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # The line or course along which something moves, points or faces.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A trend or tendency; a line of action or development; a sense of purpose.^(MW Collegiate)^(Chambers 2008)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The art or work of [[director|alt=directing]] a play, film or musical performance.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(music)'' A word or sign in a [[score]] showing how a passage should be performed.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # ''(archaic)'' The address on a letter or parcel.^(MW Collegiate)^(Chambers 2008)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(archaic)'' A body of directors; a [[directorate]].^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[directionless]]

+ * [[directionlessness]]

+ * [[directional]]

+ * [[directive]]

+ * [[director]]

+ * [[misdirection]]

+ * [[self-direction]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[direct]]

+ * [[regent]]

+ * [[rector]]

+ * [[address]]

+ * [[dress]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}