adj., n., & v.
adj. 1 a slanting; declining from the vertical or horizontal. b diverging from a straight line or course. 2 not going straight to the point; roundabout, indirect. 3 Geom. a (of a line, plane figure, or surface) inclined at other than a right angle. b (of an angle) acute or obtuse. c (of a cone, cylinder, etc.) with an axis not perpendicular to the plane of its base. 4 Anat. neither parallel nor perpendicular to the long axis of a body or limb. 5 Bot. (of a leaf) with unequal sides. 6 Gram. denoting any case other than the nominative or vocative.
n. 1 an oblique stroke (/). 2 an oblique muscle.
v.intr. (obliques, obliqued, obliquing) esp. Mil. advance obliquely. oblique oration (or speech) = reported speech (see REPORT). oblique sphere see SPHERE. obliquely adv. obliqueness n. obliquity n.
[ ME f. F f. L obliquus ]