“direct” in Latin

To point anything in a straight line towards an object, dirigere; to an object, ad aliquid (PROP. and IMPROP.). To direct one’s course to any place, cursum dirigere aliquo (also cursum dirigere, absolutely, Ov.): one’s steps any whither, iter dirigere or convertere aliquo; elsewhere, iter flectere: to direct a gun, etc. [Vid: To POINT]: to direct one’s eyes to an object, oculos conjicere ad or in aliquid; oculos alicui or ad aliquid adjicere; oculos convertere in aliquem or aliquid (☞ dirigere aciem ad aliquem, Catullus): all eyes are directed to you, omnium oculi in te sunt conjecti: to direct one’s attention to anything, animum ad aliquid attendere, adjicere, or applicare; mentem ad aliquid dirigere or appellere; one’s thoughts to any subject, cogitationes ad aliquid dirigere (Cic.): cogitationes ad or in aliquid intendere; all one’s thoughts or attention, omni cogitatione ferri ad aliquid; toto animo et studio omni incumbere ad aliquid; in aliquid omni cogitatione curaque incumbere. ☞ Not only the object to which, but also the rule by which we direct anything, is placed with ad: to direct ourselves (our lives, etc.) by the rule of right reason, dirigere vitam ad rationis normam (so leges hominum ad naturam).

Give a direction for finding a person or object; tell a person where to go, alicui monstrare viam or iter; aliquem ducere in viam (to put him in the right way); aliquem reducere in viam (if he had been astray): to direct anybody to anyone, ubi aliquis habitet demonstrare alicui (to anybody’s house): delegare aliquem (to send him there, to obtain, do, leave, etc., something; e.g., studiosos Catonis ad volumen): to direct to anyone (to point to with the finger), aliquem digito monstrare or demonstrare; aliquem digito demonstrare conspicuumque facere (in order to make him distinguishable among the multitude); digitum intendere ad aliquid (e.g., to the original sources, ad fontes, Cic.).

Govern, guide, aliquid gubernare (to sit at the helm and direct it): aliquid regere (to guide, conduct): alicui rei praeesse, praefectum esse, praesidere (to be set over, to preside over): to direct the affairs of a nation, rempublicam administrare or procurare (procurare, of one who has the sole management).

Prescribe, enjoin, praescribere or praecipere alicui aliquid. We directed them to, etc., sic iis praescripsimus, ut, etc.: direct me what to do, quid faciam praescribe (Hor.): the Pythia directed them to, etc., consulentibus Pythia praecepit, ut, etc.: they directed him what to do, huic, quid fieri vellent, praeceperunt (i. e., what they wished to have done). He directed me to pay such a person, mihi cui numerem delegavit. [Vid: COMMAND.]

To address; to direct a letter to anybody, alicui inscribere epistolam. ☞ Praescribere (e.g., epistola, cui titulus praescriptus est, Gell.) does not answer to our direction on the outside.