Those intervening ideas which serve to show the
agreement of any two others are called ``proofs;''
and where agreement or disagreement is by this means
plainly and clearly perceived, it is called
demonstration. --Locke.
2. An expression, as of the feelings, by outward signs; a
manifestation; a show.
Did your letters pierce the queen to any
demonstration of grief? --Shak.
Loyal demonstrations toward the prince. --Prescott.
3. (Anat.) The exhibition and explanation of a dissection or
other anatomical preparation.
4. (Mil.) a decisive exhibition of force, or a movement
indicating an attack.
5. (Logic) The act of proving by the syllogistic process, or
the proof itself.
6. (Math.) A course of reasoning showing that a certain
result is a necessary consequence of assumed premises; --
these premises being definitions, axioms, and previously
established propositions.
{Direct}, or {Positive}, {demonstration} (Logic & Math.), one
in which the correct conclusion is the immediate sequence
of reasoning from axiomatic or established premises; --
opposed to
{Indirect}, or {Negative}, {demonstration} (called also
{reductio ad absurdum}), in which the correct conclusion
is an inference from the demonstration that any other
hypothesis must be incorrect.
A farmer of taxes is, of all creditors,
proverbially the most rapacious. --Macaulay.
(b) Especially, the sum laid upon specific things, as upon
polls, lands, houses, income, etc.; as, a land tax; a
window tax; a tax on carriages, and the like.
Note: Taxes are {annual} or {perpetual}, {direct} or
{indirect}, etc.
(c) A sum imposed or levied upon the members of a society
to defray its expenses.
2. A task exacted from one who is under control; a
contribution or service, the rendering of which is imposed
upon a subject.
3. A disagreeable or burdensome duty or charge; as, a heavy
tax on time or health.
4. Charge; censure. [Obs.] --Clarendon.
5. A lesson to be learned; a task. [Obs.] --Johnson.
{Tax cart}, a spring cart subject to a low tax. [Eng.]
Syn: Impost; tribute; contribution; duty; toll; rate;
assessment; exaction; custom; demand.
What is direct to, what slides by, the question.
--Locke.
2. Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from
truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.
Be even and direct with me. --Shak.
3. Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.
He nowhere, that I know, says it in direct words.
--Locke.
A direct and avowed interference with elections.
--Hallam.
4. In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant
in the direct line.
5. (Astron.) In the direction of the general planetary
motion, or from west to east; in the order of the signs;
not retrograde; -- said of the motion of a celestial body.
{Direct action}. (Mach.) See {Direct-acting}.
{Direct discourse} (Gram.), the language of any one quoted
without change in its form; as, he said ``I can not
come;'' -- correlative to {indirect discourse}, in which
there is change of form; as, he said that he could not
come. They are often called respectively by their Latin
names, {oratio directa}, and {oratio obliqua}.
{Direct evidence} (Law), evidence which is positive or not
inferential; -- opposed to {circumstantial, or indirect,
evidence}. -- This distinction, however, is merely formal,
since there is no direct evidence that is not
circumstantial, or dependent on circumstances for its
credibility. --Wharton.
{Direct examination} (Law), the first examination of a
witness in the orderly course, upon the merits. --Abbott.
{Direct fire} (Mil.), fire, the direction of which is
perpendicular to the line of troops or to the parapet
aimed at.
{Direct process} (Metal.), one which yields metal in working
condition by a single process from the ore. --Knight.
{Direct tax}, a tax assessed directly on lands, etc., and
polls, distinguished from taxes on merchandise, or
customs, and from excise.
Wisdom is profitable to direct. --Eccl. x. 10.
2. To point out or show to (any one), as the direct or right
course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way; as,
he directed me to the left-hand road.
The Lord direct your into the love of God. --2
Thess. iii. 5.
The next points to which I will direct your
attention. --Lubbock.
3. To determine the direction or course of; to cause to go on
in a particular manner; to order in the way to a certain
end; to regulate; to govern; as, to direct the affairs of
a nation or the movements of an army.
I will direct their work in truth. --Is. lxi. 8.
4. To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior;
to order; as, he directed them to go.
I 'll first direct my men what they shall do.
--Shak.
5. To put a direction or address upon; to mark with the name
and residence of the person to whom anything is sent; to
superscribe; as, to direct a letter.
Syn: To guide; lead; conduct; dispose; manage; regulate;
order; instruct; command.