OBLIQUELY

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does obliquely mean? 

• OBLIQUELY (adverb)
  The adverb OBLIQUELY has 2 senses:

1. to, toward or at one side

2. at an oblique angle

  Familiarity information: OBLIQUELY used as an adverb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OBLIQUELY (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

To, toward or at one side

Synonyms:

obliquely; sidelong; sideways

Context example:

darting eyes looking sidelong out of a wizened face

Sense 2

Meaning:

At an oblique angle

Synonyms:

aslant; athwart; obliquely

Context example:

the sun shone aslant into his face

Pertainym:

oblique (slanting or inclined in direction or course or position--neither parallel nor perpendicular nor right-angled)

 Context examples 

A small blood vessel between the internal pterygoid and the ramus of the jaw, which runs obliquely forward toward the outer surface of the buccinator.

(Buccal Artery, NCI Thesaurus)

The boat was caught as it obliquely crossed the crest of a wave.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As to the stone, it glanced off obliquely and fell midway between the vessels.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

To explain the manner of its progress, let A B represent a line drawn across the dominions of Balnibarbi, let the line c d represent the loadstone, of which let d be the repelling end, and c the attracting end, the island being over C: let the stone be placed in position c d, with its repelling end downwards; then the island will be driven upwards obliquely towards D.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

When it is arrived at D, let the stone be turned upon its axle, till its attracting end points towards E, and then the island will be carried obliquely towards E; where, if the stone be again turned upon its axle till it stands in the position E F, with its repelling point downwards, the island will rise obliquely towards F, where, by directing the attracting end towards G, the island may be carried to G, and from G to H, by turning the stone, so as to make its repelling extremity to point directly downward.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)