adjective
oblique
uh-BLEEK
adjective
1
Slanting; not straight up-and-down or side-to-side.
"The roof had an oblique line running from the chimney to the eaves."
2
Indirect or evasive rather than straightforward.
"He made an oblique reference to the scandal without naming anyone."
noun
1
The forward slash symbol (/).
"Write the date with an oblique between day and month."
How to Use Oblique
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSlanted rather than straight, or (of speech/writing) indirect rather than blunt.
Common pairings
oblique angle
oblique reference
oblique line
Word Forms
obliquer comparative, obliqued past tense, obliques plural, obliques singular, obliquest superlative
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The roof had an _____ line running from the chimney to the eaves.
Etymology
From Latin obliquus, "slanting, sideways, indirect."