Oblique is a word that has been in use since the early 1400s. We will examine the varying uses of the word oblique, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
Oblique means slanting. Something that is oblique is not parallel nor is it perpendicular. Oblique may be used to describe something in a physical sense, but it is also used in a figurative sense to mean an idea or statement that is indirect. An oblique statement is difficult to immediately understand, as the speaker may be too timid to directly state his idea or is attempting to manipulate the listener. In geometry, oblique describes a line or plane that is inclined at an angle that is not at a ninety-degree angle. In anatomy, oblique refers to a muscle that is not parallel nor is it perpendicular to the length of the body. The word oblique is derived from the Latin word obliquus, meaning slanting or indirect. Oblique is an adjective, the adverb form is obliquely.
Examples
Yasiel Puig re-aggravated the oblique injury that sidelined him in July, which kept him out of Sunday’s series finale against Houston and raised the specter of possibly another stint on the disabled list. (The Los Angeles Times)
The patented Pictometry oblique image-capture process and desktop assessment tools make remote assessment and property change detection simpler. (The Morgan County Citizen)
McGuinn, noting that Emery stumbled at Dylan’s oblique lyric references to “tailgates and substitutes,” replied, “It’s a Bob Dylan song – I don’t know what it’s about.” (The Worcester Telegram)
Though there are oblique references to Harry’s failed marriage and the Tannetti case, Season Two is completely newcomer-friendly. (The Rolling Stone Magazine)