Direct vs. Focus — What's the Difference?

Extending or moving from one place to another without changing direction or stopping

The centre of interest or activity

Without intervening factors or intermediaries

The state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition

(of a person or their behaviour) going straight to the point; frank

One of the fixed points from which the distances to any point of a given curve, such as an ellipse or parabola, are connected by a linear relation.

Perpendicular to a surface; not oblique

An element of a sentence that is given prominence by intonational or other means.

With no one or nothing in between

Adapt to the prevailing level of light and become able to see clearly

Control the operations of; manage or govern

Pay particular attention to

Aim (something) in a particular direction or at a particular person

Place the focus on (an element of a sentence).

Give (someone) an official order or authoritative instruction

The distinctness or clarity of an image rendered by an optical system.

To manage or regulate the business or affairs of; be in charge of

The state of maximum distinctness or clarity of such an image

To supervise or oversee (an activity or process)

An apparatus used to adjust the focal length of an optical system in order to make an image distinct or clear

To give guidance and instruction to (actors or musicians, for example) in the rehearsal, performance, or production of a work.

A point at which rays of light or other radiation converge or from which they appear to diverge, as after refraction or reflection in an optical system

To supervise the performance or production of

See focal length.

To give an order to; command

A center of interest or activity

To show or indicate the way for

Close or narrow attention; concentration

To cause to move in a certain direction or toward a certain object; turn or point

A condition in which something can be clearly apprehended or perceived

To concentrate or focus (one's sight or attention, for example) on a particular object or activity.

(Medicine) The region of a localized bodily infection or disease.

To indicate the intended recipient on (a letter, for example).

(Geology) The point of origin of an earthquake.

To address or adapt (remarks, for example) to a specific person, audience, or purpose.

(Mathematics) A fixed point whose relationship with a directrix determines a conic section.

To give commands or directions.

To cause (light rays, for example) to converge on or toward a central point; concentrate.

To conduct a performance or rehearsal.

To render (an object or image) in clear outline or sharp detail by adjustment of one's vision or an optical device; bring into focus.

See direct examination.

To adjust (a lens, for example) to produce a clear image.

Proceeding without interruption in a straight course or line; not deviating or swerving

To direct toward a particular point or purpose

Straightforward and candid; not devious or ambiguous

To converge on or toward a central point of focus; be focused.

Having no intervening persons, conditions, or agencies; immediate

To adjust one's vision or an optical device so as to render a clear, distinct image.

Effected by action of the voters, rather than through elected representatives or delegates

To concentrate attention or energy

Being of unbroken descent; lineal

A point at which reflected or refracted rays of light converge.

Consisting of the exact words of the writer or speaker

A point of a conic at which rays reflected from a curve or surface converge.

Lacking compromising or mitigating elements; absolute

The fact of the convergence of light on the photographic medium.

(Mathematics) Varying in the same manner as another quantity, especially increasing if another quantity increases or decreasing if it decreases.

The quality of the convergence of light on the photographic medium.

(Astronomy) Designating west-to-east motion of a planet in the same direction as the sun's apparent annual movement with respect to the stars.

(uncountable) Concentration of attention.

(Sports) Being a direct free kick.

The exact point of where an earthquake occurs, in three dimensions (underneath the epicentre).

Straight; directly.

(GUI) The status of being the currently active element in a user interface, often indicated by a visual highlight.

Proceeding without deviation or interruption.

(linguistics) The most important word or phrase in a sentence or passage, or the one that imparts information.

Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end.

An object used in casting a magic spell.

Straightforward; sincere.

To concentrate during a task.

Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.

(transitive) To direct attention, effort, or energy to a particular audience or task.

In the line of descent; not collateral.

(transitive) To cause (rays of light, etc) to converge at a single point.

(astronomy) 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.

(transitive) To adjust (a lens, an optical instrument) in order to position an image with respect to the focal plane.

(political science) Pertaining to, or effected immediately by, action of the people through their votes instead of through one or more representatives or delegates.

(intransitive) To concentrate one’s attention.

Having a single flight number.

To transfer the input focus to (a visual element), so that it receives subsequent input.

Directly.

To aggregate figures of accounts.

To manage, control, steer.

A point in which the rays of light meet, after being reflected or refracted, and at which the image is formed; as, the focus of a lens or mirror.

To aim (something) at (something else).

A point so related to a conic section and certain straight line called the directrix that the ratio of the distance between any point of the curve and the focus to the distance of the same point from the directrix is constant.

To point out to or show (somebody) the right course or way; to guide, as by pointing out the way.

A central point; a point of concentration.

To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order.

To bring to a focus; to focalize; as, to focus a camera.

(dated) To address (a letter) to a particular person or place.

The concentration of attention or energy on something;

Straight; not crooked, oblique, or circuitous; leading by the short or shortest way to a point or end; as, a direct line; direct means.

Maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical system;

Straightforward; not of crooked ways, or swerving from truth and openness; sincere; outspoken.

Maximum clarity or distinctness of an idea;

Immediate; express; plain; unambiguous.

A central point or locus of an infection in an organism;

In the line of descent; not collateral; as, a descendant in the direct line.

Special emphasis attached to something;

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.

A point of convergence of light (or other radiation) or a point from which it diverges

Pertaining to, or effected immediately by, action of the people through their votes instead of through one or more representatives or delegates; as, direct nomination, direct legislation.

A fixed reference point on the concave side of a conic section

To arrange in a direct or straight line, as against a mark, or towards a goal; to point; to aim; as, to direct an arrow or a piece of ordnance.

Direct one's attention on something;

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.

Cause to converge on or toward a central point;

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.

Bring into focus or alignment; to converge or cause to converge; of ideas or emotions

To point out to with authority; to instruct as a superior; to order; as, he directed them to go.

Become focussed or come into focus;

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.

Put (an image) into focus;

To give direction; to point out a course; to act as guide.

A character, thus [ ], placed at the end of a staff on the line or space of the first note of the next staff, to apprise the performer of its situation.

Command with authority;

Intend (something) to move towards a certain goal;

Guide the actors in (plays and films)

Be in charge of

Take somebody somewhere;

Cause to go somewhere;

Aim or direct at; as of blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment;

Lead, as in the performance of a composition;

Give directions to; point somebody into a certain direction;

Specifically design a product, event, or activity for a certain public

Direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

Put an address on (an envelope, for example)

Plan and direct (a complex undertaking);

Direct in spatial dimensions; proceeding without deviation or interruption; straight and short;

Immediate or direct in bearing or force; having nothing intervening;

Extended senses; direct in means or manner or behavior or language or action;

In a straight unbroken line of descent from parent to child;

Moving from west to east on the celestial sphere; or--for planets--around the sun in the same direction as the Earth

Similar in nature or effect or relation to another quantity;

Of a current flowing in one direction only; not alternating;

As an immediate result or consequence;

In precisely the same words used by a writer or speaker;

Effected directly by action of the voters rather than through elected representatives;

Exact;

Without deviation;