01 n. The act of directing, of aiming, regulating, guiding, or ordering; guidance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction…
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1.
The act of directing, of aiming, regulating, guiding, or ordering; guidance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction o� public affairs or of a bank.“I do commit his youth To your direction.” — Shak.“All nature is but art, unknown to thee; ll chance, direction, which thou canst not see.” — Pope.
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2.
That which is imposed by directing; a guiding or authoritative instruction; prescription; order; command; as, he grave directions to the servants.“The princes digged the well . . . by the direction of the law giver.” — Numb. xxi. 18.
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3.
The name and residence of a person to whom any thing is sent, written upon the thing sent; superscription; address; as, the direction of a letter.
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4.
The line or course upon which anything is moving or aimed to move, or in which anything is lying or pointing; aim; line or point of tendency; direct line or course; as, the ship sailed in a southeasterly direction.
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5.
The body of managers of a corporation or enterprise; board of directors.
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6.
The pointing of a piece with reference to an imaginary vertical axis; -- distinguished from elevation. The direction is given when the plane of sight passes through the object.(Gun.)
Syn.
Administration; guidance; management; superintendence; oversight; government; order; command; guide; clew.
Direction, Control, Command, Order. These words, as here compared, have reference to the exercise of power over the actions of others. Control is negative, denoting power to restrain; command is positive, implying a right to enforce obedience; directions are commands containing instructions how to act. Order conveys more prominently the idea of authority than the word direction. A shipmaster has the command of his vessel; he gives orders or directions to the seamen as to the mode of sailing it; and exercises a due control over the passengers.