recti-, rect-
(Latin: make right, adjust, remedy; make straight; to lead, put in a straight line; to rule)
correct (kuh REKT) (verb), corrects; corrected; correcting
1. To amend or to make free from error: Jack was very considerate when he corrected his previous statement, which was based on a misunderstanding as to what Patricia had told him before.
2. To adjust or to improve in order to bring something to a required position: The new wheels of Catherine's car had to be corrected by her mechanic so the alignment would provide safe driving when she drove it again.
3. To remedy; to rectify or make right: Eddie’s blurry vision was wonderfully corrected by his new glasses!
4. To mark errors or flaws on a printed or written text: Mrs. Jones got so tired at her desk while she was correcting the essays that were written by the students in her English class and she was hoping that she would get more accomplished on the weekend.
5. Etymology: from Latin regere, "to guide" which became correctus, the past participle of corrigere, "to straighten".
2. To adjust or to improve in order to bring something to a required position: The new wheels of Catherine's car had to be corrected by her mechanic so the alignment would provide safe driving when she drove it again.
3. To remedy; to rectify or make right: Eddie’s blurry vision was wonderfully corrected by his new glasses!
4. To mark errors or flaws on a printed or written text: Mrs. Jones got so tired at her desk while she was correcting the essays that were written by the students in her English class and she was hoping that she would get more accomplished on the weekend.
5. Etymology: from Latin regere, "to guide" which became correctus, the past participle of corrigere, "to straighten".
correct (adjective), more correct, most correct
1. Referring to the fact or truth; free from errors; flawless: Rachel checked the timetable once more to make sure she had the correct information regarding the time the train would leave for her trip to visit her brother.
2. Descriptive of an individual’s behavior or appearance which conforms to the approved or proper social criteria: As a waiter, James was always polite, pleasant, and consistently correct when he took orders from the guests and when serving their meals at the noble restaurant in the city.
3. Relating to the best requirements for an activity or a situation: When beginning to sew the jacket, Janet first had to make sure she had the pattern pieces put on the fabric in a precise, or correct way, so her sewing would have successful results.
2. Descriptive of an individual’s behavior or appearance which conforms to the approved or proper social criteria: As a waiter, James was always polite, pleasant, and consistently correct when he took orders from the guests and when serving their meals at the noble restaurant in the city.
3. Relating to the best requirements for an activity or a situation: When beginning to sew the jacket, Janet first had to make sure she had the pattern pieces put on the fabric in a precise, or correct way, so her sewing would have successful results.
1: The act of improving something: Mrs. Smith marked the errors and gave it back to the student for revisions or corrections.
2. An alteration that rectifies a flaw or error: Jim read the improvements, or corrections, that his teacher, Mr. Jackson, made on his homework.
2. An alteration that rectifies a flaw or error: Jim read the improvements, or corrections, that his teacher, Mr. Jackson, made on his homework.
correctional (adjective), more correctional, most correctional
Characterizing a facility which is intended to improve the behavior of criminals: After serving many years in the correctional institution and taking part in classes and workshops successfully, James was allowed to leave the prison on a daily basis.
corrective (kuh REK tiv) (adjective), more corrective, most corrective
Concerning the counteraction of something which is undesirable or hazardous: Corrective steps were taken by the architects who noticed that the building code hadn’t been observed by the contractors who were responsible for its construction!
correctively (adverb), more correctively, most correctively
Describing how something is done or said in an improving way: "Please don’t come in with those dirty shoes, but take them off now before coming in,” Robert’s mother said correctively.
correctly (adverb), more correctly, most correctly
Referring to how someone who says or writes something in an accurate manner: After the German teacher, Frau Schmidt, said the German greeting of "Guten Morgen" to Bobby, he correctly repeated it without making a mistake!
1. The condition of being right; freedom from fault: Mrs. Smart observed, "The correctness of your answer shows that you have certainly done your homework quite thoroughly, Maurice!"
2. Conformity to recognize standards: Because of his personal faultlessness, or correctness, Mr. Jackson was able to become the mayor of his town, which was quite appreciated by everyone.
3. Compliance with facts or the truth: The correctness of Susan's statements at the police station regarding her car accident were in accord with the observation given by the witness who saw it happen.
2. Conformity to recognize standards: Because of his personal faultlessness, or correctness, Mr. Jackson was able to become the mayor of his town, which was quite appreciated by everyone.
3. Compliance with facts or the truth: The correctness of Susan's statements at the police station regarding her car accident were in accord with the observation given by the witness who saw it happen.
direct (di REKT, digh REKT) (adjective), more direct, most direct
1. Referring to the shortest way without any diversion: Mary didn’t want to transfer planes on her way from Toronto to Frankfurt, so she took the direct route.
2. Pertaining to a light or heat source which is not blocked or reflected: The direct rays of the sun were not good for the plants in Jane’s garden because they needed shade instead.
3. Concerning something which takes place without any interference or go-betweens: The direct results of Mary’s baking were fabulous cookies, which smelled fantastic and tasted delicious!
4. Characteristic of someone who is being frank and straight to the point: Tom wanted to be very direct and say exactly what he meant and not cause any misunderstandings.
5. Relating to the exact wording of what a person has said: The direct quotations used in the book that Julia was citing had footnotes at the bottom of each page.
6. Denoting the sequence from parent to offspring: The story goes that Mark is the direct descendent of the owner of the old house down the street and he will be its inheritor.
2. Pertaining to a light or heat source which is not blocked or reflected: The direct rays of the sun were not good for the plants in Jane’s garden because they needed shade instead.
3. Concerning something which takes place without any interference or go-betweens: The direct results of Mary’s baking were fabulous cookies, which smelled fantastic and tasted delicious!
4. Characteristic of someone who is being frank and straight to the point: Tom wanted to be very direct and say exactly what he meant and not cause any misunderstandings.
5. Relating to the exact wording of what a person has said: The direct quotations used in the book that Julia was citing had footnotes at the bottom of each page.
6. Denoting the sequence from parent to offspring: The story goes that Mark is the direct descendent of the owner of the old house down the street and he will be its inheritor.
direct (verb), directs; directed; directing
1. To manage something; to oversee; to preside over: The school administration will supervise, or direct, the use of the library next year.
2. To conduct a group of musicians: The new music teacher at the school will be directing the choir at the concert at the end of the school year.
3. To aim something in a certain direction or at a particular person: The smile on Jack’s face was directed at Jill, his girlfriend!
4. To tell someone how to go someplace: Since Rebecca didn’t know the way to the theater, Lynn, who was in the passenger seat of the car, easily directed her there.
5. To give instructions for the shipment or delivery of a package or written communication: The letter that was in David’s mailbox wasn’t directed to him, but to a friend of his who had a similar name.
2. To conduct a group of musicians: The new music teacher at the school will be directing the choir at the concert at the end of the school year.
3. To aim something in a certain direction or at a particular person: The smile on Jack’s face was directed at Jill, his girlfriend!
4. To tell someone how to go someplace: Since Rebecca didn’t know the way to the theater, Lynn, who was in the passenger seat of the car, easily directed her there.
5. To give instructions for the shipment or delivery of a package or written communication: The letter that was in David’s mailbox wasn’t directed to him, but to a friend of his who had a similar name.
The act of listening to the internal sounds of the body, and in this case, it is performed without the stethoscope: Tom used direct auscultation to determine if he could detect the heartbeats of his unborn child inside his wife’s uterus.
The measurement of serum or blood ions; such as, sodium, chloride, and potassium, without prior dilution of the sample: The direct measurement of electrolytes is considered to be more nearly accurate than analysis by indirect methods because it is not susceptible to error in cases of hyperlipidemia or excess lipids (fatty, greasy, oily, and waxy compounds) in the blood.
An device that is designed to visualize the interior of the eye, with the instrument relatively close to the subject's eye and the observer viewing an upright magnified image: In order to give the Sarah the best advice regarding her macular degeneration, the eye doctor used a direct ophthalmoscope in a darkened room to examine the retina and macula of the eye.
The movement of blood directly from one person to another one: Direct transfusion is the medical process of a person’s vital body fluid being given straight from the donor to the recipient by using an interconnecting hollow tube.
The observation of an object on which the part of the retina of each eye distinguishes the fine details at the center of the field of vision that the eyes are focused on: Dr. Rebecca Bond, the ophthalmologist, determined that Joseph’s direct vision was normal because the image of the item he saw fell directly on the yellow spot, or macula lutea, of his eyes.
