directives in Apache

Hi ! Really newbie in net configuration (well, in more than just net configuration), i am reading a book over Apache. (spanish translation : Servidor Apache Al Descubierto, written by Rich Bowen & Ken Coar, editors Prentice Hall). Came to a point which blocks me a little bit. It says meanothers : The Apache documentation ver.1.3 mentions 193 Apache directives..... For now, that word "directive" is stopping me a little bit from progressing. It, from the context, seems to have a different meaning than directory or files. Cd somebody out there briefly explain to me what the exact sense, nature of a directive is. Even (and prefeably for all of us) briefly. Tks folks bye4now