direction
direction — noun
1. The line or side along which a person, vehicle, or thing travels, faces, or poin
The line or side along which a person, vehicle, or thing travels, faces, or points — for example, north, south, left, right, or towards a particular landmark.
Captain Okafor changed the ship's direction when a strong east wind pushed it off course.
collocation: change direction
Hassan pointed in the direction of the mountain when the tourist asked for the trail.
collocation: point in the direction of
A weathered wooden signpost had an arrow pointing in the direction of the nearest village.
Iris turned and walked in the opposite direction when she saw the road was blocked.
文法句型
direction + of + noun
in + direction
用法筆記
Often used with prepositions in, from, and of. Can be countable (a direction, two directions) or uncountable (a sense of direction).
常見錯誤
2. A spoken or written explanation of how to get from where you are to another plac
A spoken or written explanation of how to get from where you are to another place, usually involving street names, landmarks, and turns.
Paloma asked the shopkeeper for directions to the train station.
collocation: ask for directions
Near the visitor centre, a colourful wall map showed clear directions to the national park's campsites.
collocation: give directions
Sana wrote down the directions to the hotel so she would not get lost.
Christopher checked his phone for directions to the restaurant while Lien waited outside.
- instructions
broader; can refer to any step-by-step guidance, not just routes
- route
focuses on the road or path itself rather than the spoken/written guide
文法句型
ask for directions
give someone directions
directions to + place
用法筆記
Almost always in the plural form directions when referring to route instructions. 'Direction' (singular) for this sense is rare and sounds old-fashioned.
常見錯誤
3. A particular area or position from which someone or something appears, is heard,
A particular area or position from which someone or something appears, is heard, or is located, especially when the exact spot is not yet known.
The police officer ran in the direction of the noise coming from the park.
collocation: in the direction of
A white car appeared from the direction of the bridge at sunset.
collocation: from the direction of
Hari looked in every direction but could not find his lost keys anywhere.
Smoke was rising from the direction of the old factory on the hill.
文法句型
from the direction of + noun
in every direction
用法筆記
Typically appears in fixed prepositional phrases (in the direction of, from the direction of). Not used in the plural for this sense.
4. A natural ability to know where you are and how to find your way to places witho
A natural ability to know where you are and how to find your way to places without relying on maps, signs, or electronic devices.
Hassan has an excellent sense of direction and never needs a map.
collocation: sense of direction
Without a map, Aylin realised she had a poor sense of direction in town.
The hiking guide told the group that a good sense of direction comes with practice.
Sari got lost twice in the forest because her sense of direction was very weak.
文法句型
have a (good/poor) sense of direction
用法筆記
Always used with the determiner 'a' — 'a sense of direction'. Modified by adjectives like good, poor, excellent, terrible.
常見錯誤
5. The activity of leading, managing, or supervising an organisation, project, team
The activity of leading, managing, or supervising an organisation, project, team, or creative work by giving instructions and making key decisions.
Under Ilan's firm direction, the team finished the project two weeks early.
collocation: under someone's direction
The school is now under the direction of a new head teacher from Osaka.
passive: be under the direction of
The airport expansion project requires careful direction from a senior engineer to avoid budget problems.
Henrik took over the direction of the charity after the founder retired.
- management
more concrete; focuses on running day-to-day operations
- leadership
emphasises vision and inspiration rather than supervision
- supervision
suggests watching over someone's work closely
文法句型
under the direction of + person
take direction from + person
用法筆記
Frequently used in formal or business contexts. 'Under the direction of [someone]' is a common passive construction. 'Direction' in this sense is uncountable.
6. Written or spoken information that explains the steps for carrying out a task, u
Written or spoken information that explains the steps for carrying out a task, using a product, or acting in a given setting — for instance, a doctor's orders, cooking steps on a packet, or workplace safety rules.
The doctor's directions said to take the medicine three times a day after meals.
collocation: follow/obey directions
Jisoo read the directions on the rice packet carefully before cooking dinner.
collocation: read the directions
The manager gave clear directions to the staff about the new safety rules.
Please follow the printed directions for putting the bookshelf together step by step.
- instructions
more commonly used for step-by-step guidance on how to use something
- guidelines
less strict; suggests suggestions rather than firm orders
文法句型
give directions
follow directions
directions for + noun/verb-ing
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like give, follow, read, provide. 'Directions' in this sense is most common in the plural; the singular 'direction' meaning 'an order' exists but is rare outside legal or military contexts.
常見錯誤
7. How a situation, person, or area of work changes or progresses as time passes.
How a situation, person, or area of work changes or progresses as time passes.
The company's new direction toward renewable energy attracted many investors.
direction toward(s) + noun phrase showing change
Hyun felt his career was heading in the wrong direction after five years in the same role.
heading/moving in a (right/wrong) direction
The conversation took an unexpected direction when Ayana raised the budget issue.
Roya's research opened a promising new direction for cancer treatment.
Under Pedro's leadership, the school moved in a direction that focused on creative learning.
文法句型
direction + towards/to
direction + of
move in a + adjective + direction
用法筆記
Often appears with an adjective (new, wrong, right, opposite, promising) before the noun. The preposition toward or towards is common when naming the target of the change.
常見錯誤
8. A clear purpose or aim that guides what a person does or how a group operates, g
A clear purpose or aim that guides what a person does or how a group operates, giving focus and meaning to their actions.
After college, Jack needed to find some direction for his life.
find direction + for one's life
The charity operates without clear direction since the founder retired.
Gita's direction never wavered—she knew she wanted to become a pediatric nurse.
Losing her job gave Yael a chance to rethink the direction of her life.
The program needs a new direction to serve more families in the community.
- aimlessness
the state of having no purpose or goal
文法句型
give/direction to
lack (of) direction
sense of direction
用法筆記
Usually uncountable in this sense — we say 'lack direction' not 'lack a direction.' When countable, it specifies a particular goal (e.g., 'The project has two directions we could pursue').
常見錯誤
9. the art and skill of supervising and guiding the creative aspects of a film, pla
the art and skill of supervising and guiding the creative aspects of a film, play, television show, or other performance, including actors' performances and visual style
The film's direction was praised for its creative use of lighting and camera angles.
direction + was praised + for + creative element
Dario spent two years studying film direction at a well-known academy in central Paris.
Under Constanza's direction, the play became a huge hit with audiences.
The movie won an award for best direction at the international festival.
Élise's clear direction helped the actors bring real emotion to each scene.
文法句型
direction of + film/play/performance
under the direction of + person
用法筆記
Not to be confused with 'stage directions' (written instructions in a script about where actors should stand). This sense refers to the overall creative leadership of a director.