simple past tense and past participle of direct
"The professor directed the students to review their notes before the exam."
In plain English: To direct something means to give it a specific goal or path to follow.
"The teacher directed all attention to the whiteboard during the lesson."
Usage: Use directed to describe someone who has been assigned a specific task or role by an authority figure. It indicates that a person was given instructions on how to proceed with a project, film, or investigation.
(often used in combination) having a specified direction
"a positively directed vector"
"goal-directed"
In a manner emphasizing one's point of view.
"His review was directed at exposing the flaws in the management team's strategy rather than offering constructive feedback."
In plain English: Directed means being guided toward a specific goal or target by someone else.
"The director gave specific instructions to the actors who were directed toward their roles."
Usage: Do not use "directed" to mean biased or focused on a specific viewpoint; this is a common error where people confuse it with the word "direct." Instead, reserve "directed" strictly for things that are managed, aimed at a target, or conducted by someone in charge.
Directed comes from the Latin directus, the past participle of dirigere meaning "to straighten" or "to guide." It entered English via Old French to describe something that is aimed at a specific target or controlled by an authority.