Direction is the way someone or something is going, travelling or looking. In the plural, directions are instructions on how to get somewhere. Direction doesn't mean the people in charge: the people who run a company or a school are the management, and the board of directors is the board.
direction: will you get the meaning right?
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in the direction of + place; in the right/wrong/opposite + direction; ask for / give + directions (to + place); a new direction (for a company, a career); the management (not the direction)
- Walk in the direction of the river, and you'll see the museum on your left.
- On my first day at university, a friendly student gave me directions to the lecture hall.
- After the new CEO arrived, the company moved in a completely different direction.
What changed
First versionI need to discuss my salary with the direction.
RevisionI need to discuss my salary with the management.
In some languages a word like direction means the people who run a company, so the direction can seem right. But in English direction means the way something goes. The people who run a company and decide on pay are the management. If you mean one particular boss, it's simpler to say my manager.
Direction can also be figurative: the way a business or a life is developing. I'm happy with the direction my career is taking means you like where your career is going.
Your turn
We were completely lost, so we stopped at a petrol station and asked for ___.
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directions — The people are lost and want to know the way, and instructions on how to get somewhere are directions, in the plural. Asked for direction would sound like asking for advice or guidance at work, not for the way to go.
Explain to a tourist how to get from your home to the nearest bus stop or station. Say which way to go and how long it takes.
Go out of the building, turn left and walk in the direction of the park; the bus stop is about five minutes away.
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