Directly or Direct?

Question

Can I use "directly" instead of "direct" in the following sentences. Do they change the meanings if I use "directly" instead?
We flew direct to Hong Kong.
I prefer to deal with him direct.
How about this one? Does the meaning change if I use "direct" instead?
He drove her directly to her hotel.

Yoong Liat · Accepted Answer

SnappyCan I use "directly" instead of "direct" in the following sentences. Do they change the meanings if I use "directly" instead?

We flew direct to Hong Kong.
I prefer to deal with him direct.
How about this one? Does the meaning change if I use "direct" instead?
He drove her directly to her hotel.

This train goes direct to Swansea.
(We flew direct to Hong Kong.
He drove her direct to her hotel. )

It is incorrect to substitute directly for direct to mean 'uninterruptedly, straight' or 'without intermediary'. (I prefer to deal with him direct.)

(The Right Word at the Right Time)

Based on the above definition of 'direct', it is clear that you cannot use 'directly'. I don't know whether it is the same with AmE.

Snappy · Answer

I've once heard that the following sentences are different in meaning.

We flew direct to Hong Kong. = Took a direct flight
We flew directly to Hong Kong. = Flew to Hong Kong immediately

Are the following sentences the same in meaning?

I prefer to deal with him direct.
I prefer to deal direct with him.
I prefer to deal with him directly.
I prefer to deal directly with him.

Yoong Liat · Answer

We flew directly to Hong Kong. = Flew to Hong Kong immediately

The adverb 'directly' means 'immediately'. 'exactly', and so on:
This train leaves directly for Swansea.
(The Right Word at the Right Time)

I prefer to deal with him direct.
I prefer to deal direct with him.
I prefer to deal with him directly.
I prefer to deal directly with him.

As for the above sentences, I would say only the sentences with 'direct' are correct.

Tanit · Answer

Hi,

Excuse me for butting in, but I see nothing wrong with
I prefer to deal with him directly.
I prefer to deal directly with him.

(I honestly can't advise about the most natural position of the adverb, though. For what it's worth, the BNC returns 25 hits for "deal directly with")

Oxford dictionary offers a lot of examples where "directly" means "in a direct manner or line", that is, without anything in between (meaning #1 below):

1. in a direct line or manner:
He drove her directly to her hotel.
She looked directly at us.
He’s directly responsible to the boss.
We have not been directly affected by the cuts.
The President was not directly involved.
The issues raised in the report relate directly to the ongoing work of the charity.
The two incidents are not directly linked.
2 exactly in a particular position: directly opposite / below / ahead
They remain directly opposed to these new plans.
3 immediately:
She left directly after the show
4 (old-fashioned, BrE) soon shortly:

Tell them I’ll be there directly. (*)

See also Merriam Webster, meaning #1a http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/directly%5B1%5D.

Am I missing something?

Thanks.

________________________________________________

(*) directly for immediately is labelled as "BrE, old fashioned" also in Longman and http://dictionary.cambridge.org/define_b.asp?key=21963&dict=CALD dictionaries.

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