 indirect |
||
| 1. | [ adjective ] having intervening factors or persons or influences | |
| Examples: | "reflection from the ceiling provided a soft indirect light" "indirect evidence" "an indirect cause" |
|
| Related terms: | mediate | |
| 2. | [ adjective ] not direct in spatial dimension; not leading by a straight line or course to a destination | |
| Examples: | "sometimes taking an indirect path saves time" "must take an indirect course in sailing" |
|
| Related terms: | direct meandering askance devious diversionary crabwise crooked directness | |
| 3. | [ adjective ] descended from a common ancestor but through different lines | |
| Synonyms: | oblique collateral | |
| Examples: | "cousins are collateral relatives" "an indirect descendant of the Stuarts" |
|
| Related terms: | lineal related | |
| 4. | [ adjective ] not as a direct effect or consequence | |
| Examples: | "indirect benefits" "an indirect advantage" |
|
| Related terms: | secondary | |
| 5. | [ adjective ] extended senses; not direct in manner or language or behavior or action | |
| Examples: | "making indirect but legitimate inquiries" "an indirect insult" "doubtless they had some indirect purpose in mind" "though his methods are indirect they are not dishonest" |
|
| Related terms: | direct circuitous devious circumlocutious mealy-mouthed backhanded mealymouthed tortuous hearsay digressive allusive | |
| Similar spelling: |
indirectly indirection intrench interest Indira interested interesting introject intrepid intersect interject |
|
