oblique

Meanings

Adjective

• Not erect or perpendicular; not parallel to, or at right angles from, the base
• Not straightforward; obscure or confusing
• disingenuous; underhand; morally corrupt
• Not direct in descent; not following the line of father and son; collateral.
• Having the base of the blade asymmetrical, with one side lower than the other.
• Growing at an angle that is neither vertical nor horizontal.
• Pertaining to the oblique case (non-nominative).
• Indirect; employing the actual words of the speaker but as related by a third person, having the first person in pronoun and verb converted into the third person and adverbs of present time into the past, etc.
• Employing oblique motion, motion or progression in which one part (voice) stays on the same note while another ascends or descends.

Noun

• An oblique line.
• Synonym of slash ⟨/⟩.
• The oblique case.

Verb

• To deviate from a perpendicular line; to become askew;
• To march in a direction oblique to the line of the column or platoon; — formerly accomplished by oblique steps, now by direct steps, the men half-facing either to the right or left.
• To slant (text, etc.) at an angle.

Related

Similar words

• See slash

Origin

• From Middle French oblique, from Latin oblīquus (also spelled oblīcus)