direct address

Meanings

1. 1noununcountable

   The act of speaking or writing straight to a person or group by name or title, often to get their attention.

   Grammar: No plural; used with 'the' or no article: 'Direct address makes the reader feel involved.'

   Patterns

   • use direct address
   • in direct address
   • a form of direct address

   The teacher used direct address when she said, 'Class, please open your books.'

   In his speech, the president's direct address to the audience made everyone listen closely.

   Poems often begin with direct address, as in 'O wild West Wind.'

2. 2noununcountable

   A way of speaking to someone face to face, rather than through a message or a third person.

   Grammar: Often follows 'in': 'She answered in direct address.'

   Patterns

   • in direct address
   • speak in direct address

   He prefers direct address to sending emails.

   The manager's direct address to the team cleared up the confusion.

Common combinations

use direct address

Writers use direct address to make readers feel included.

in direct address

The sentence 'John, come here' is in direct address.

a form of direct address

Calling someone by name is a common form of direct address.

direct address to someone

Her direct address to the crowd was powerful.

Synonyms and how they differ

vocative

In grammar, 'vocative' is the specific case or form used for direct address, like 'John' in 'John, come here'; 'direct address' is the broader idea.

apostrophe

In literature, 'apostrophe' means speaking to an absent person or object; direct address is usually to someone present.

Word family

address verb

To speak to someone directly, as in 'She addressed the audience.'

address noun

A formal speech, or the details of where someone lives.

Commonly confused: direct address or direct object?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “direct address”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words