obliquely

Obliquely is an adverb describing two related senses: spatial orientation and figurative indirectness. In physical terms, something described as oblique is oriented at an angle that is not perpendicular to a reference line or plane. In figurative use, obliquely refers to doing or saying something in an indirect or evasive way rather than directly addressing it.

Etymology and technical sense: the word derives from Old French oblique, from Latin obliquus meaning slanting. In geometry, oblique lines intersect a reference line or plane at a non-right angle, and an oblique angle is any angle other than a right angle. Oblique projection in drawing and computer graphics tilts the depth axis to create a sense of three-dimensionality; common variants include Cavalier projection, where depth is drawn at full scale, and Cabinet projection, where depth is foreshortened.

Usage in language: obliquely often appears when a speaker or writer wishes to reference a topic without directness or explicit statement. For example, a critic may discuss an issue obliquely, implying criticism through indirect allusion. In descriptive writing, oblique description can convey nuance or avoid bluntness, while in reporting it may suggest implicit bias or restraint.

Related terms include oblique as an adjective, obliquity as a noun describing the state of being oblique, and phrases contrasting oblique with perpendicular or directness. Obliquely thus functions as both a geometric descriptor and a general adverb for indirectness, with usage spanning mathematics, engineering, and rhetoric.