sense of direction

Học thuật
Thân thiện
sense of direction

She has an excellent sense of direction and never gets lost in the woods.

Definition

Noun: 1. An innate or developed ability to know one's location and to find one's way: This refers to a person's natural or learned capacity to understand where they are in relation to their surroundings and to navigate successfully from one place to another. 2. A metaphorical understanding of one's goals or purpose: In a figurative sense, it can describe a clear understanding of what one wants to achieve in life or in a specific situation.

Usage and Examples
  • Literal (Spatial Orientation):
    • Despite the complex trail, her excellent sense of direction got us back to camp before dark.
    • I have a terrible sense of direction; I get lost even with a map.
  • Figurative (Purpose or Goal):
    • The new manager brought a strong sense of direction to the confused team.
    • After graduation, he felt he lacked a clear sense of direction for his career.
Advanced Usage
  • "To have a good/poor sense of direction": This is the most common construction, directly commenting on one's navigational ability.
    • Tour guides need to have a very good sense of direction.
  • "To give (someone/something) a sense of direction": Used to describe providing guidance or purpose.
    • The strategic plan gave the company a much-needed sense of direction.
Variants and Related Words
  • Orientation (n.): The act of determining one's position relative to one's surroundings.
  • Navigation (n.): The process of planning and controlling the path from one place to another.
  • Wayfinding (n.): The cognitive and behavioral process of finding one's way in an environment.
Synonyms
  • Navigational skill
  • Spatial awareness
  • Bearing (as in "to get/lose one's bearing")
  • Purpose or Guidance (for the figurative sense)
Related Phrases
  • "To lose one's sense of direction": To become disoriented or unsure of the way, either literally or figuratively.
    • In the dense fog, we completely lost our sense of direction.
    • After the scandal, the political party seemed to lose its sense of direction.
  • "An innate sense of direction": A natural, untaught ability to navigate.
    • Some migratory birds are thought to have an innate sense of direction.
sense of direction

She has an excellent sense of direction and never gets lost in the woods.

Noun
  1. an awareness of your orientation in space