2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Direction  \Di*rec"tion\,  n.  [L.  directio:  cf  F.  direction.] 
  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  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. 
 
  5.  The  body  of  managers  of  a  corporation  or  enterprise;  board 
  of  directors. 
 
  6.  (Gun.)  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.  --Wilhelm. 
 
  Syn:  Administration;  guidance;  management;  superintendence; 
  oversight;  government;  order  command;  guide;  clew. 
 
  Usage:  {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. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  direction 
  n  1:  a  line  leading  to  a  place  or  point:  "he  looked  the  other 
  direction";  "didn't  know  the  way  home"  [syn:  {way}] 
  2:  the  spatial  relation  between  something  and  the  course  along 
  which  it  points  or  moves  "he  checked  the  direction  and 
  velocity  of  the  wind" 
  3:  a  general  course  along  which  something  has  a  tendency  to 
  develop;  "I  couldn't  follow  the  direction  of  his 
  thoughts";  "his  ideals  determined  the  direction  of  his 
  career";  "they  proposed  a  new  direction  for  the  firm" 
  4:  direction  or  advice  as  to  a  decision  or  course  of  action 
  [syn:  {guidance},  {counsel},  {counseling}] 
  5:  the  act  of  managing  something  "he  was  given  overall 
  management  of  the  program";  "is  the  direction  of  the 
  economy  a  function  of  government?"  [syn:  {management},  {managing}] 
  6:  a  message  describing  how  something  is  to  be  done  "he  gave 
  directions  faster  than  she  could  follow  them"  [syn:  {instruction}] 
  7:  the  act  of  setting  and  holding  a  course;  "a  new  council  was 
  installed  under  the  direction  of  the  king"  [syn:  {steering}, 
  {guidance}] 
  8:  a  formal  statement  of  a  command  or  injunction  to  do 
  something  "the  judge's  charge  to  the  jury"  [syn:  {commission}, 
  {charge}] 

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