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Headlong vs Directly - What's the difference?

headlong | directly | Related terms |

Headlong is a related term of directly.


As adverbs the difference between headlong and directly

is that headlong is with the head first or down while directly is in a direct manner; in a straight line or course.

As an adjective headlong

is precipitous.

As a verb headlong

is to precipitate.

As a conjunction directly is

as soon as.

headlong

English

Adverb

(-)
  • With the head first or down.
  • With an unrestrained forward motion.
    • Figures out today show the economy plunging headlong into recession.
  • Rashly; precipitately; without deliberation.

    • Antonyms

    * (l) (UK dialect)

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Precipitous.
  • Plunging downwards head foremost.
  • Rushing forward without restraint.
  • (figuratively) Reckless, impetuous.
  • * 1869 , RD Blackmoore, Lorna Doone , II:
    • “Time is up,” cried another boy, more headlong than head-monitor.

    Derived terms

    * headlongness * headlongs

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To precipitate.
  • * 1862 , Thomas Adams, The works of Thomas Adams :
    • If a stranger be setting his pace and face toward some deep pit, or steep rock — such a precipice as the cliffs of Dover — how do we cry aloud to have him return ? yet in mean time forget the course of our own sinful ignorance, that headlongs us to confusion.
  • * 1905 , Liberty Hyde Bailey, The outlook to nature :
    • Carriages went up and down in endless pageant. Trolley-cars rushed by, clanging and grinding as they headlonged into the side streets.

    directly

    English

    Adverb

    (en adverb)
  • In a direct manner; in a straight line or course.
  • In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct means.
  • Plainly, without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 19, author=Josh Halliday, work=the Guardian
    • , title= Free speech haven or lawless cesspool – can the internet be civilised? , passage="Mujtahidd" has attracted almost 300,000 followers since the end of last year, when he began posting scandalous claims about the Saudi elite. In one tweet, Mujtahidd directly challenged Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd about his political history: "Did you resign or were you forced to resign from your post as head of the diwan [office] of the council of ministers?"}}
  • Exactly; just.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=(Henry Petroski)
    • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= The Evolution of Eyeglasses , passage=The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone,
  • Straightforwardly; honestly.
  • (label) Immediately.
  • (label) Soon; next; when it becomes convenient.

    • Antonyms

    * indirectly

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • As soon as.
  • * 1982 , (Lawrence Durrell), Constance'', Faber & Faber 2004 (''Avignon Quintet ), p. 725:
    • Tenderly, reluctantly, he took his leave of her, promising that he would contact her directly he got back, perhaps in ten days or so.
  • * 2009 , Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall , Fourth Estate 2010, p. 463:
    • He is to go to Calais, directly this is over, to replace Lord Berners as governor [...].

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