A line leading to a place or point:
— He looked the other direction.

synonym: way.

Roget 550: indication; symbolism, symbolization; semiology, semiotics, semeiology^†, semeiotics^†; Zeitgeist.    [means of recognition: property] characteristic, diagnostic; lineament, feature, trait; fingerprint, voiceprint, footprint, noseprint [for animals]; cloven hoof; footfall; recognition (memory) 505.    [means of recognition: tool] diagnostic, divining rod; detector.    sign, symbol; index, indice^†, indicator; point, pointer; exponent, note, token, symptom; dollar sign, dollar mark.    type, figure, emblem, cipher, device; representation etc. 554; epigraph, motto, posy.    gesture, gesticulation; pantomime; wink, glance, leer; nod, shrug, beck; touch, nudge; dactylology^†, dactylonomy^†; freemasonry, telegraphy, chirology [Med.], byplay, dumb show; cue; hint etc. 527; clue, clew, key, scent.    signal, signal post; rocket, blue light; watch fire, watch tower; telegraph, semaphore, flagstaff; cresset^†, fiery cross; calumet; heliograph; guidon; headlight.    [sign (evidence) on physobj of contact with another physobj] mark, scratch, line, stroke, dash, score, stripe, streak, tick, dot, point, notch, nick.    print; imprint, impress, impression.    [symbols accompanying written text to signify modified interpretation] keyboard symbols, printing symbols; [Symbols for emphasis], red letter, italics, sublineation^†, underlining, bold font; jotting; note, annotation, reference; blaze, cedilla, guillemets^†, hachure [Topo.]; [Special Characters list], quotation marks, "; double quotes, " "; parentheses, "( )"; brackets, "[ ]"; braces, "{ }", curly brackets; arrows, slashes; left parenthesis, "("; right parenthesis, ")"; opening bracket, "["; closing bracket, "]"; left curly brace, "{"; right curly brace, "}"; left arrow, ""; forward slash, "/"; backward slash, "\\"; exclamation point, "!"; commercial at, "@"; pound sign, "#"; percent sign, "%"; carat, "^"; ampersand, "&"; asterisk, "*"; hyphen, "-"; dash, "-", "_"; em dash, "--"; plus sign, "+"; equals sign, "="; question mark, "?"; period, "."; semicolon, ";"; colon, ":"; comma, ","; apostrophe, "'"; single quote, "'"; tilde, "~". [For identification: general] badge, criterion; countercheck^†, countermark^†, countersign, counterfoil; duplicate, tally; label, ticket, billet, letter, counter, check, chip, chop; dib^†; totem; tessera^†, card, bill; witness, voucher; stamp; cacher [Fr.]; trade mark, Hall mark.    [For identification of people, on a document] signature, mark, autograph, autography; attestation; hand, hand writing, sign manual; cipher; seal, sigil [Lat.], signet, hand and seal [Law]; paraph^†, brand; superscription; indorsement^†, endorsement.    [For identification of people, to gain access to restricted (locations or information)] password, watchword, catchword; security card, pass, passkey; credentials etc. (evidence) 467; open sesame; timbrology^†; mot de passe [Fr.], mot du guet [Fr.]; pass-parole; shibboleth.    title, heading, docket.    address card, visiting card; carte de visite [Fr.].    insignia; banner, banneret^†, bannerol^†; bandrol^†; flag, colors, streamer, standard, eagle, labarum^†, oriflamb^†, oriflamme; figurehead; ensign; pennon, pennant, pendant; burgee^†, blue Peter, jack, ancient, gonfalon, union jack; banderole, old glory [U.S.], quarantine flag; vexillum^†; yellow-flag, yellow jack; tricolor, stars and stripes; bunting.    heraldry, crest; coat of arms, arms; armorial bearings, hatchment^†; escutcheon, scutcheon; shield, supporters; livery, uniform; cockade, epaulet, chevron; garland, love knot, favor.    [Of locality] beacon, cairn, post, staff, flagstaff, hand, pointer, vane, cock, weathercock; guidepost, handpost^†, fingerpost^†, directing post, signpost; pillars of Hercules, pharos; bale-fire, beacon-fire; l'etoile du Nord [Fr.]; landmark, seamark; lighthouse, balize^†; polestar, loadstar^†, lodestar; cynosure, guide; address, direction, name; sign, signboard.    [Of the future] warning etc. 668; omen etc. 512; prefigurement etc. 511.    [Of the past] trace, record &c., 551.    [Of danger] warning etc. 668, alarm etc. 669.    [of authority]. scepter etc. 747.    [of triumph]. trophy etc. 733.    [of quantity]. gauge etc. 466.    [Of Distance] milestone, milepost.    [Of disgrace], brand, fool's cap.    [For detection], check, telltale; test etc. (experiment) 463; mileage ticket; milliary^†.    notification etc. (information) 527; advertisement etc. (publication) 531.    word of command, call; bugle call, trumpet call; bell, alarum, cry; battle cry, rallying cry; angelus^†; reveille; sacring bell^†, sanctus bell [Lat.].    exposition etc. (explanation) 522, proof etc. (evidence) 463; pattern etc. (prototype) 22.    ... show more

Roget 278: direction, bearing, course, vector; set, drift, tenor; tendency etc. 176; incidence; bending, trending etc. v.; dip, tack, aim, collimation; steering steerage.    point of the compass, cardinal points; North East, South, West; N by E, ENE, NE by N, NE, &c.; rhumb^†, azimuth, line of collimation.    line, path, road, range, quarter, line of march; alignment, allignment^†; air line, beeline; straight shoot.    ... show more

Roget 737a: government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority; authority etc. 737; master etc. 745; direction etc. 693.    [nations] national government, nation, state, country, nation-state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic; kingdom, principality.    [subdivisions of nations] state government [Lat.], state; shire [Brit.]; province [Can.]; county [Ire.]; canton [Switz.]; territory [Austral.]; duchy, archduchy, archdukedom^†; woiwodshaft; commonwealth; region etc. 181; property etc. 780.    [smaller subdivisions] county, parish city, domain, tract, arrondissement [Fr.], mofussil^†, commune; wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth^†, soke^†, tithing; ward, precinct, bailiwick.    command, empire, sway, rule; dominion, domination; sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty; lordship, headship^†; chiefdom^†; seigniory, seigniority^†.    rule, sway, command, control, administer; govern etc. (direct) 693; lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne; sway the scepter, wield the scepter; wear the crown.    state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus [Lat.].    [person in the governing authority] judicature etc. 965; cabinet etc. (council) 696; seat of government, seat of authority; headquarters.    [Acquisition of authority] accession; installation etc. 755; politics etc. 737.1. reign, regime, dynasty; directorship, dictatorship; protectorate, protectorship; caliphate, pashalic^†, electorate; presidency, presidentship^†; administration; proconsul, consulship; prefecture; seneschalship; magistrature^†, magistracy.    monarchy; kinghood^†, kingship; royalty, regality; aristarchy^†, aristocracy; oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy; commonwealth; dominion; heteronomy; republic, republicanism; socialism; collectivism; mob law, mobocracy^†, ochlocracy^†; vox populi, imperium in imperio [Lat.]; bureaucracy; beadledom^†, bumbledom^†; stratocracy; military power, military government, junta; feodality^†, feudal system, feudalism.    thearchy^†, theocracy, dinarchy^†; duarchy^†, triarchy, heterarchy^†; duumvirate; triumvirate; autocracy, autonomy; limited monarchy; constitutional government, constitutional monarchy; home rule; representative government; monocracy^†, pantisocracy^†.    gynarchy^†, gynocracy^†, gynaeocracy^†; petticoat government.    [government functions] legislature, judiciary, administration.    [Government agencies and institutions] office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet; senate, house of representatives, parliament; council etc. 696; courts, supreme court; [U.S. national government departments], state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury; Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI; Central Intelligence Agency, CIA; National Institutes of Health, NIH; Postal Service, Post Office; Federal Aviation Administration, FAA.    [national government officials] president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister; senator, representatative, president pro tem [Lat.], speaker of the house; department head, section head, section chief; federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice; treasurer, secretary of the treasury; director of the FBI.    [state government officials] governor, state cabinet member; state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman.    ... show more

Dutch: hoek, kant, richting
Polish: trasa, kierunek

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

Dutch: richting
Polish: kierunek, strona

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

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

synonyms: counsel, counseling, counselling, guidance.

Roget 537: teaching etc. v.; instruction; edification; education; tuition; tutorage, tutelage; direction, guidance; opsimathy^†.    qualification, preparation; training, schooling etc. v.; discipline; excitation.    drill, practice; book exercise.    persuasion, proselytism, propagandism^†, propaganda; indoctrination, inculcation, inoculation; advise etc. 695.    explanation etc. (interpretation) 522; lesson, lecture, sermon; apologue^†, parable; discourse, prolection^†, preachment; chalk talk; Chautauqua [U.S.].    exercise, task; curriculum; course, course of study; grammar, three R's, initiation, A.   B.C., etc. (beginning) 66.    elementary education, primary education, secondary education, technical education, college education, collegiate education, military education, university education, liberal education, classical education, religious education, denominational education, moral education, secular education; propaedeutics^†, moral tuition.    gymnastics, calisthenics; physical drill, physical education; sloyd^†.    [methods of teaching] phonics; rote, rote memorization, brute memory; cooperative learning; Montessori method, ungraded classes.    [measuring degree of learning of pupils] test, examination, exam; final exam, mid-term exam grade [result of measurement of learning], score, marks; A,B,C,D,E,F; gentleman's C; pass, fail, incomplete.    homework; take-home lesson; exercise for the student; theme, project.    ... show more

Dutch: advies, raadsman, advocaat, voorlichting

The act of managing something:
— Is the direction of the economy a function of government?.

synonym: management.

Roget 693: direction; management, managery^†; government, gubernation^†, conduct, legislation, regulation, guidance; bossism [U.S.]; legislature; steerage, pilotage; reins, reins of government; helm, rudder, needle, compass; guiding star, load star, lode star, pole star; cynosure.    supervision, superintendence; surveillance, oversight; eye of the master; control, charge; board of control etc. (council) 696; command etc. (authority) 737.    premiership, senatorship; director etc. 694; chair, portfolio.    statesmanship; statecraft, kingcraft^†, queencraft^†.    ministry, ministration; administration; stewardship, proctorship^†; agency.    [person who directs] director etc. 694.    ... show more

Dutch: administratie, bedrijfsleiding, bedrijfspolitiek, bedrijfsvoering, beheer, management
Polish: zarząd

A message describing how something is to be done:
— He gave directions faster than she could follow them.

synonym: instruction.

Roget 697: precept, direction, instruction, charge; prescript, prescription; recipe, receipt; golden rule; maxim etc. 496.    rule, canon, law, code, corpus juris [Lat.], lex scripta [Lat.], act, statute, rubric, stage direction, regulation; form, formula, formulary; technicality; canon law; norm.    order etc. (command) 741.    ... show more

Dutch: bevel

The act of setting and holding a course:
— A new council was installed under the direction of the king.

synonyms: guidance, steering.

Polish: sterowanie

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

synonyms: charge, commission.

Roget 741: command, order, ordinance, act, fiat, hukm^†, bidding, dictum, hest^†, behest, call, beck, nod.    despatch, dispatch; message, direction, injunction, charge, instructions; appointment, fixture.    demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, reclamation, revendication^†; ultimatum etc. (terms) 770; request etc. 765; requirement.    dictation; dictate, mandate; caveat, decree, senatus consultum [Lat.]; precept; prescript, rescript; writ, ordination, bull, ex cathedra pronouncement [Lat.], edict, decretal^†, dispensation, prescription, brevet, placit^†, ukase, ukaz [Rus.], firman, hatti-sherif^†, warrant, passport, mittimus, mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius [Lat.], interpellation, citation; word, word of command; mot d'ordre [Fr.]; bugle call, trumpet call; beat of drum, tattoo; order of the day; enactment etc. (law) 963; plebiscite etc. (choice) 609.    ... show more

Roget 737: authority; influence, patronage, power, preponderance, credit, prestige, prerogative, jurisdiction; right etc. (title) 924; direction etc. 693; government etc. 737.1. divine right, dynastic rights, authoritativeness; absoluteness, absolutism; despotism; jus nocendi [Lat.]; jus divinum [Lat.].    mastery, mastership, masterdom^†; dictation, control.    hold, grasp; grip, gripe; reach; iron sway etc. (severity) 739; fangs, clutches, talons; rod of empire etc. (scepter) 747.    [Vicarious authority] commission etc. 755; deputy etc. 759; permission etc. 760.    ... show more

Dutch: commissie

The concentration of attention or energy on something:
— He had no direction in his life.

synonyms: centering, focal point, focus, focusing, focussing.

Dutch: focus, scherpstelling