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Directly

1. In a direct manner; in a straight line or course. To run directly on. Indirectly and directly too Thou hast contrived against the very life Of the defendant. (Shak)

2. In a straightforward way; without anything intervening; not by secondary, but by direct, means.

3. Without circumlocution or ambiguity; absolutely; in express terms. No man hath hitherto been so impious as plainly and directly to condemn prayer. (Hooker)

4. Exactly; just. Stand you directly in Antonius' way. (Shak)

5. Straightforwardly; honestly. I have dealt most directly in thy affair. (Shak)

6. Manifestly; openly. Desdemona is directly in love with him. (Shak)

7. Straightway; next in order; without delay; immediately. Will she go now to bed?' directly.'

8. Immediately after; as soon as. Directly he stopped, the coffin was removed. (Dickens)

this use of the word is common in England, especially in colloquial speech, but it can hardly be regarded as a well-sanctioned or desirable use.

(Science: mathematics) directly proportional, proportional in the order of the terms; increasing or decreasing together, and with a constant ratio; opposed to inversely proportional.

Synonym: Immediately, forthwith, straightway, instantly, instantaneously, soon, promptly, openly, expressly.

directly, Immediately, Instantly, Instantaneously. Directly denotes, without any delay or diversion of attention; immediately implies, without any interposition of other occupation; instantly implies, without any intervention of time. Hence, I will do it directly, means, I will go straightway about it. I will do it immediately, means, I will do it as the very next thing. I will do it instantly, allows not a particle of delay. Instantaneously, like instantly, marks an interval too small to be appreciable, but commonly relates to physical causes; as, the powder touched by fire instantaneously exploded.