directors

/daɪˈrek.tər/ (bre, ipa) · [dɚˈɛktɚz] /daɪˈrek.tɚ/ (ame, ipa) · [dɚˈɛktɚz] /də-ˈrek-tər How to pronounce director (audio) dī-/ (ame, mw)

directors — noun

1. people with senior responsibility for how a company, college, charity, or simila

1.名詞B2
釋義

people with senior responsibility for how a company, college, charity, or similar organization is run

例句

The new directors want the college to spend more on student housing.

directors make policy choices for an institution

After the merger, directors Lara and Karim moved to Singapore to lead regional teams.

同義詞
  • managers

    often focuses more on daily operations and staff supervision

  • administrators

    often stresses organizing systems, rules, or official work

  • heads

    is a broader informal label for the person or people in charge

文法句型

directors of a company

directors of a college

appoint new directors

用法筆記

This sense usually refers to people who lead an institution or manage its overall work. Unlike sense 5, it often points to people involved in running the organization itself, not only watching over it from the board.

常見錯誤

❌The directors of the company is meeting now.
✅The directors of the company are meeting now.
💡Directors is plural, so it takes a plural verb.

2. people who manage a nursery school or preschool for small children

2.名詞C1
釋義

people who manage a nursery school or preschool for small children

例句

The preschool directors greet children at the gate each morning.

directors of a preschool or nursery

Parents thanked directors Shanti and Apinya for adding a quiet nap room.

同義詞
  • heads

    is a broader word that can refer to leaders of many kinds of schools

  • administrators

    sounds more official and less tied to young children's schools

文法句型

preschool directors

nursery directors

directors of a preschool

用法筆記

Use this sense for people in charge of preschools, nursery schools, or similar early-childhood settings. It is narrower than sense 1 and does not normally refer to leaders of colleges, companies, or ordinary primary and secondary schools.

常見錯誤

❌The directors teach every class in the nursery.
✅The directors run the nursery, but the teachers teach the classes.
💡A director manages the school rather than leading every lesson.

3. people who shape a movie or stage production and guide actors through each scene

3.名詞B2
釋義

people who shape a movie or stage production and guide actors through each scene

例句

The directors asked Gabriel to pause before opening the kitchen door.

directors guide how actors perform a scene

The play directors cut ten minutes from the final scene before opening night.

同義詞
  • filmmakers

    is broader and can include people besides the director

  • producers

    usually handle money and planning more than scene-by-scene performance choices

文法句型

film directors

play directors

directors ask actors to + verb

用法筆記

This sense belongs to film, television, or theatre production. Unlike sense 4, it is about shaping scenes and performances rather than leading live music.

常見錯誤

❌The directors played the king in the school play.
✅The directors told the actor how to play the king.
💡A director guides the performance; the actor performs the part.

4. people who lead an orchestra or choir, setting the speed and shape of the music

4.名詞B2
釋義

people who lead an orchestra or choir, setting the speed and shape of the music

例句

The guest directors raised their hands, and the choir began together.

directors lead a choir's musical entry

Both directors stopped the band to fix Eitan's uneven trumpet rhythm.

同義詞
  • conductors

    is the most direct synonym in orchestra and choir contexts

  • music directors

    often names the formal job title, especially in schools and arts groups

文法句型

orchestra directors

choir directors

directors stop the band

用法筆記

This sense is used for people who lead musicians or singers in performance and rehearsal. Distinguish it from sense 3, where the director works with actors and dramatic scenes instead of live musical timing.

常見錯誤

❌The directors sang the solo in the concert.
✅The directors led the choir while another singer sang the solo.
💡A music director leads the group rather than singing every part.

5. people elected to a company's board to help make major decisions and watch over

5.名詞C1
釋義

people elected to a company's board to help make major decisions and watch over the business

例句

Shareholders voted for three new directors at the annual meeting.

shareholders elect board directors

The directors asked Asher for a full report before approving the sale.

同義詞
  • board members

    is the plain general term for people who sit on a board

  • trustees

    is used in some organizations, but not every company board uses this title

  • governors

    appears in some institutions and stresses oversight rather than daily management

文法句型

independent directors

elect directors

directors approve a sale

用法筆記

In this sense, directors sit on the board and govern at a high level. They are different from sense 1 directors, who are more directly involved in managing the organization's everyday work.

常見錯誤

❌The directors runs the company's daily shop work.
✅The directors oversee the company, but managers run the daily work.
💡Board directors make major decisions rather than handling everyday operations.