direct and take share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. direct means “command with authority”. take means “carry out”. take is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/dɚˈɛkt/
1.v.command with authority
“He directed the children to do their homework”
2.v.intend (something) to move towards a certain goal
“He aimed his fists towards his opponent's face”
3.v.guide the actors in (plays and films)
/ˈteɪk/
1.v.carry out
“take action”
2.v.require (time or space)
“It took three hours to get to work this morning”
3.v.take somebody somewhere
“We lead him to our chief”
| direct | take | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /dɚˈɛkt/ | /ˈteɪk/ |
| Said | dur-EKT | tayk |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Letters | 6 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb, adjective, adverb | verb, noun |
| Senses | 24 | 44 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | none recorded | none recorded |
Full entry for direct · Full entry for take · More comparisons