a. [ F., fr. L. obliquus; ob (see Ob-) + liquis oblique; cf. licinus bent upward, Gr. le`chrios slanting. ] [ Written also oblike. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Not erect or perpendicular; neither parallel to, nor at right angles from, the base; slanting; inclined. [ 1913 Webster ]

It has a direction oblique to that of the former motion. Cheyne. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Not straightforward; indirect; obscure; hence, disingenuous; underhand; perverse; sinister. [ 1913 Webster ]

The love we bear our friends . . .
Hath in it certain oblique ends. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

This mode of oblique research, when a more direct one is denied, we find to be the only one in our power. De Quincey. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then would be closed the restless, oblique eye.
That looks for evil, like a treacherous spy. Wordworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Not direct in descent; not following the line of father and son; collateral. [ 1913 Webster ]

His natural affection in a direct line was strong, in an oblique but weak. Baker. [ 1913 Webster ]

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°. It is not now practiced. Wilhelm. --
Oblique system of coordinates (Anal. Geom.), a system in which the coordinate axes are oblique to each other. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Geom.) An oblique line. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Obliqued p. pr. & vb. n. Obliquing. ] 1. To deviate from a perpendicular line; to move in an oblique direction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Projecting his person towards it in a line which obliqued from the bottom of his spine. Sir. W. Scott. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mil.) 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having oblique angles; as, an oblique-angled triangle. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In an oblique manner; not directly; indirectly. “Truth obliquely leveled.” Bp. Fell. [ 1913 Webster ]

Declining from the noon of day,
The sun obliquely shoots his burning ray. Pope [ 1913 Webster ]

His discourse tends obliquely to the detracting from others. Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality or state of being oblique. [ 1913 Webster ]