direct
v.v. to show someone the way to a place or to tell someone how to do something. You also use this when you lead a group of people, like a movie crew or a band.
v. to manage or control the operations of a project or group; to point or guide someone toward a destination. Often used in the context of creative leadership or providing instructions.
Can you direct me to the nearest train station?
The police officer stood in the middle of the intersection to direct traffic away from the accident.
The board of directors met late into the evening to discuss who should direct the company's expansion into the European market next year.
Borrowed from Latin dīrēctus, perfect passive participle of dīrigō (“straighten, direct”), from dis- (“asunder, in pieces, apart, in two”) + regō (“make straight, rule”). Compare dress. Doublet of derecho. For the meaning development compare with Russian напра́вить (naprávitʹ, “to direct, to turn, to aim, to level, to point”), отпра́вить (otprávitʹ, “to send, to dispatch, to forward”) connected with пра́вить (právitʹ, “to govern, to rule, to drive, to steer”).
The verb is transitive and typically takes a direct object, often followed by a prepositional phrase indicating destination or purpose.