from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Oblique \Ob*lique"\, a. [F., fr. L. obliquus; ob (see {Ob-}) +
liquis oblique; cf. licinus bent upward, Gr. le`chrios
slanting.] [Written also {oblike}.]
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1. Not erect or perpendicular; neither parallel to, nor at
right angles from, the base; slanting; inclined.
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It has a direction oblique to that of the former
motion. --Cheyne.
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2. Not straightforward; indirect; obscure; hence,
disingenuous; underhand; perverse; sinister.
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The love we bear our friends . . .
Hath in it certain oblique ends. --Drayton.
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This mode of oblique research, when a more direct
one is denied, we find to be the only one in our
power. --De Quincey.
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Then would be closed the restless, oblique eye.
That looks for evil, like a treacherous spy.
--Wordworth.
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3. Not direct in descent; not following the line of father
and son; collateral.
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His natural affection in a direct line was strong,
in an oblique but weak. --Baker.
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{Oblique angle}, {Oblique ascension}, etc. See under {Angle},
{Ascension}, etc.
{Oblique arch} (Arch.), an arch whose jambs are not at right
angles with the face, and whose intrados is in consequence
askew.
{Oblique bridge}, a skew bridge. See under {Bridge}, n.
{Oblique case} (Gram.), any case except the nominative. See
{Case}, n.
{Oblique circle} (Projection), a circle whose plane is
oblique to the axis of the primitive plane.
{Oblique fire} (Mil.), a fire the direction of which is not
perpendicular to the line fired at.
{Oblique flank} (Fort.), that part of the curtain whence the
fire of the opposite bastion may be discovered. --Wilhelm.
{Oblique leaf}. (Bot.)
(a) A leaf twisted or inclined from the normal position.
(b) A leaf having one half different from the other.
{Oblique line} (Geom.), a line that, meeting or tending to
meet another, makes oblique angles with it.
{Oblique motion} (Mus.), a kind of motion or progression in
which one part ascends or descends, while the other
prolongs or repeats the same tone, as in the accompanying
example.
{Oblique muscle} (Anat.), a muscle acting in a direction
oblique to the mesial plane of the body, or to the
associated muscles; -- applied especially to two muscles
of the eyeball.
{Oblique narration}. See {Oblique speech}.
{Oblique planes} (Dialing), planes which decline from the
zenith, or incline toward the horizon.
{Oblique sailing} (Naut.), the movement of a ship when she
sails upon some rhumb between the four cardinal points,
making an oblique angle with the meridian.
{Oblique speech} (Rhet.), speech which is quoted indirectly,
or in a different person from that employed by the
original speaker.
{Oblique sphere} (Astron. & Geog.), the celestial or
terrestrial sphere when its axis is oblique to the horizon
of the place; or as it appears to an observer at any point
on the earth except the poles and the equator.
{Oblique step} (Mil.), a step in marching, by which the
soldier, while advancing, gradually takes ground to the
right or left at an angle of about 25[deg]. It is not now
practiced. --Wilhelm.
{Oblique system of coordinates} (Anal. Geom.), a system in
which the coordinate axes are oblique to each other.
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