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Director of Studies
Dipper, the also the Big Dipper n AmE a name sometimes
used for the CONSTELLATION (=group of stars) called the
Plough
dip-py /'dɪpi/ adj especially AmE infml crazy or foolish: She's gone
clean dippy.
dip-so-ma-ni-a /,dɪpsə'meɪniə/ n [U] an uncontrollable
desire for alcoholic drinks
dip-so-ma-ni-ac /,dɪpsə'meɪniæk/ n a person suffering
from dipsomania
dip-stick /'dɪpˌstɪk/ n 1 a stick for measuring the depth of
liquid in a container, especially the amount of oil in a car's
engine → see picture at ENGINE 2 BrE slang a stupid person
dip-tych /'dɪptɪk/ n tech a picture made in two parts which
can close like the covers of a book → compare TRIPTYCH
dire /daɪəʳ/ adj 1 (of needs and dangers) very great; extreme;
terrible: in dire need of food | The company is in dire straits.
(=in a seriously difficult position) 2 [A] causing great fear for
the future: dire warnings/predictions
di-rect¹ /dɪ'rekt, ˌdaɪ'rekt/ v [T] 1 [+obj+adv/prep] to turn or
aim (attention, remarks, movement, activity etc) in the
stated direction: This warning is directed at you. | Please
direct your complaints to the manager. | We directed our steps
homewards. | civil unrest directed against the white
community | Most of the money will be directed towards
medical research. 2 to control and be in charge of (an
activity or situation); manage: He directed the building of the
new bridge. | A policeman stood in the middle of the road,
directing the traffic. 3 fml to order, especially officially; com-
mand: [+obj+to-v] The judge directed the jury to find the pris-
oner guilty. | [+that] The general directed that his men should
retreat. → see ORDER (USAGE) 4 to be the person who
instructs the actors in (a film or play); be the DIRECTOR of:
Who directed that new Italian film? 5 [(to)] to tell (someone)
the way to a place: I'm lost. Can you direct me to Times
Square? → see LEAD¹ (USAGE)
direct² adj 1 straight; going from one point to another
without turning aside: Which is the most direct route to
London? | a direct flight from London to Los Angeles (=with-
out stopping) 2 [no comp.] without any other person, reason
etc coming between: Unemployment has increased as a
direct result of government policies. (=and for no other
reason) | The organization was investigated at the direct
request of the President. 3 (of people and their manner)
honest, easily understood and not attempting to deceive: He
refused to give a direct answer to my question. | She's always
very direct, so you know exactly what she's thinking. 4 [A]
exact: He's the direct opposite of his brother. 5 [A no comp.] (of
family relationships) passing in a straight line from parent
to child: She's a direct descendant of the poet Wordsworth. →
see also DIRECTLY →-ness n [U]
direct³ adv in a straight line; without stopping or turning
aside: The next flight doesn't go direct to Rome. It goes by way
of Paris.
di,rect 'action n [U] an action such as a STRIKE or a protest
that is intended to make a government or company change
something immediately
di,rect 'current n [U] a flow of electricity that moves in
one direction only → compare ALTERNATING CURRENT
di,rect 'debit especially BrE || automatic payment AmE — n
[C;U] an order to a bank to pay money from one's account to
another named account at regular times: Please cancel all my
direct debits. | If you wish to pay by direct debit, please
complete the mandate below. → compare STANDING ORDER
di,rect de'posit n [U] AmE a common method of paying a
person's wages directly into their bank account, so that
neither a cheque nor money in the form of coins and notes
is used. The employee receives instead a piece of paper with
information about how much has been paid into the
account.
di,rect 'dial n [U] a system by which telephone users in a
large building can get the telephone line they want them-
selves, and do not have to ask a special worker (= SWITCH-
BOARD OPERATOR) to get it for them: All bedrooms feature
private bathrooms, satellite TV, in-house movie channel, direct
dial telephone etc.
di,rect 'discourse n [U] AmE for DIRECT SPEECH
di,rect free 'kick n (in football) a FREE KICK given to one
team, from which a direct shot at GOAL can be made →
compare INDIRECT FREE KICK, PENALTY KICK
di,rect 'grant ,school n a British GRAMMAR SCHOOL which
receives money directly from the central government and
not from local government like most other SECONDARY
SCHOOLS
di-rec-tion /dɪ'rekʃən, daɪ-/ n 1 [C;U] the point or position
towards which a person or thing moves, faces, or is aimed:
She drove off in the direction of London. (=towards
London) | Stones were flying about in every direction. | Which
direction does the house face? | She has a good sense of
direction and never gets lost. | (fig.) Their economic policy is
moving in the direction of (=tending towards) retrenchment. |
(fig.) His greatest problem is that he lacks direction/has no
sense of direction. (=he does not know what he wants to do
with his life, job etc) | (fig.) The law on women's rights is still
unsatisfactory, but this new change is a step in the right
direction. 2 [U] control or management: The investigation
was carried out under the direction of a senior police officer.
→ see also DIRECTIONS
di-rec-tion-al /dɪ'rekʃənəl, daɪ-/ adj connected with direc-
tion in space; suitable for finding out where radio signals
come from (especially in the phrase directional aerial)
di'rection ,finder n a piece of equipment for finding out
where radio signals are coming from
di-rec-tion-less /dɪ'rekʃənləs, daɪ-/ adj lacking a clear aim
or purpose: I felt directionless and lost.
di-rec-tions /dɪ'rekənz, daɪ-/ n [P] instructions on what to
do, how to do something, or how to get from one place to
another: Follow the directions on the packet. | We asked a
policeman and he gave us directions to Buckingham Palace.
di-rec-tive /dɪ'rektɪv, daɪ-/ n an official order or instruc-
tion: The management has issued a new directive about the
use of company cars.
Direct 'Line trademark a company that sells financial prod-
ucts by telephone directly to its customers, especially insur-
ance for homes and cars
di-rect-ly¹ /dɪ'rektli, daɪ-/ adv 1 in a direct manner: She
answered me very directly and openly. | [+adv/prep] We live
directly opposite the church. | to buy goods directly from the
manufacturers 2 BrE a) at once: Answer me directly! b) infml
very soon: He should be here directly if you don't mind
waiting.
directly² conj BrE infml as soon as: I came directly I got your
message.
di,rect 'mail n [U] advertisements which are sent through
the post to many people
di,rect 'method n a method of teaching a foreign language
without using the student's own language
di,rect 'object n tech the noun, noun phrase, or PRONOUN
that is needed to complete the meaning of a statement using
a TRANSITIVE verb: In 'I saw Mary', 'Mary' is the direct object.
In 'I gave Mary the money', 'the money' is the direct object. →
compare INDIRECT OBJECT
di-rec-tor /dɪ'rektəʳ, daɪ-/ n 1 a member of the group of
top managers who run a company: She's on the board of
directors. 2 a person who directs a play or film, instructing
the actors, cameramen etc → compare PRODUCER 3 anyone
who directs an organization or activity: the President's
budget director
di-rec-tor-ate /dɪ'rektərət, daɪ-/ n 1 [+sing./ pl. v] a board of
directors of a company 2 a directorship
Di,rec-tor-'General abbrev. DG n the person in charge of a
large organization such as the BBC or the CBI: the Director-
General of the BBC
di-rec-to-ri-al /ˌdaɪrek'tːriəl/ adj [A] relating to the work
of a film or theatre director: De Niro's directorial debut, Tales
of the Bronx
Di,rector of ,Public Prose'cutions abbrev. the DPP n
in the legal system of England and Wales, the lawyer whose
job it is to decide whether or not a person should be charged
with a crime, in cases where it is not clear. There is a similar
official in Scotland called the PROCURATOR FISCAL.
Di,rector of 'Studies n [usually sing.] a teacher in a British