oblique
/əˈbliːk/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈbliːk/ (ame, ipa) · /ō-ˈblēk ə-, -ˈblīk; military usually -ˈblīk/ (ame, mw) · /oʊˈbliːk/ (ame, ipa)
oblique — 形容詞
1. expressing something in a roundabout or hinted manner, so the listener has to wo
間接的
不直說，要靠聽者自己去推敲意思
expressing something in a roundabout or hinted manner, so the listener has to work out what is really meant rather than being told plainly.
The minister made an oblique reference to the scandal without naming anyone involved.
部長間接提到了這起醜聞，但沒有點名任何當事人。
common collocation: oblique reference to
Aunt Helen's oblique comment about 'some brides choosing simpler cakes' left Sofia feeling judged.
海倫阿姨拐彎抹角地說「有些新娘會選比較簡單的蛋糕」，讓蘇菲亞覺得自己被批評了。
Through oblique hints in his letters, Felix warned his sister to leave the city.
費利克斯透過信中拐彎的暗示，警告妹妹趕快離開那座城市。
The novel offers an oblique critique of modern office culture rather than a direct attack.
這本小說以間接的方式批評現代辦公室文化，而不是正面攻擊。
Reporters grew tired of the senator's oblique answers during the press conference.
記者們對於參議員在記者會上拐彎抹角的回答已經感到厭煩。
- indirect
more neutral and everyday word for the same idea
- roundabout
informal; suggests taking a longer path to the point
- veiled
stronger; suggests deliberate hiding of meaning
- direct
stating something plainly and openly
- straightforward
easy to understand without extra effort
用法筆記
Subject is usually speech, writing, or behaviour (a reference, comment, hint, criticism, glance). Often carries a slight negative tone of evasion or mystery.
常見錯誤
2. leaning to one side rather than standing straight up or lying flat — for example
傾斜的
向一邊歪斜，不直立也不水平
leaning to one side rather than standing straight up or lying flat — for example, a roof that tilts, or a line drawn diagonally across a page.
Mira drew an oblique line from the top corner of the page to the bottom edge.
米拉從紙張的右上角畫了一條傾斜的線到下方邊緣。
describes a diagonal stroke or mark
The old barn had an oblique roof that sloped sharply toward the apple trees.
那座舊穀倉有個傾斜的屋頂，朝蘋果樹那邊陡陡地往下斜。
Sunlight fell at an oblique angle across the kitchen floor in the late afternoon.
傍晚的陽光以傾斜的角度灑在廚房地板上。
Heavy rain fell in oblique sheets against the classroom windows.
大雨以傾斜的方向打在教室的窗戶上。
Two oblique scars ran across the boxer's left cheek from old training accidents.
拳擊手左臉頰上有兩道傾斜的疤痕，是以前訓練留下的舊傷。
- straight
describes vertical or horizontal lines without tilt
- perpendicular
at a right angle, opposite of slanting
用法筆記
Frequently appears in technical or descriptive writing (geometry, architecture, design). Common collocation: 'at an oblique angle'.
常見錯誤
3. describing an angle that is not exactly 90°, so it is either narrower (acute) or
斜角的
不是九十度的角，比直角大或小
describing an angle that is not exactly 90°, so it is either narrower (acute) or wider (obtuse) than a right angle.
The geometry teacher asked the class to measure each oblique angle in the triangle.
幾何老師請全班量出三角形裡每一個斜角。
math classroom context: triangle angles
The carpenter cut the roof beams to meet at oblique angles instead of square corners.
木工把屋頂的橫樑切成斜角接合，而不是直角接合。
An oblique angle of 120° gave the bridge supports their unusual shape.
一個一百二十度的斜角，讓橋的支撐結構有了不尋常的形狀。
Surveyors had to record every oblique angle around the irregular plot of land.
測量員必須記下這塊不規則土地上每一個斜角。
- right
exactly 90°, the angle this sense excludes
用法筆記
Mathematical and technical use only. Distinguish from sense 2 (slanting): this sense applies specifically to the measure of an angle, not the orientation of a line or surface.
oblique — 名詞
1. the punctuation mark / used between words or numbers, for example to show altern
斜線號
標點符號「／」，常用來分隔詞或數字
the punctuation mark / used between words or numbers, for example to show alternatives or to write fractions.
The editor told Priya to type the date as day, month, and year separated by an oblique.
編輯告訴普莉雅，日期要用斜線號把日、月、年分開來輸入。
instructional usage describing the / mark
The form used an oblique between 'he' and 'she' to include both readers.
表格在 he 和 she 之間用了斜線號，把兩種讀者都包含進來。
shows the / between alternatives
The Oxford style guide on Mr. Khan's desk called the slash an oblique throughout.
可汗先生桌上那本牛津寫作指南，從頭到尾都把斜線稱為斜線號。
Mr. Patel asked his students to replace each oblique in the document with the word 'or'.
派特爾老師請學生把文件裡的每一個斜線號改寫成「或」。
- slash
the standard everyday term, especially in American English
- forward slash
common in computing contexts to distinguish from backslash
- solidus
very formal; used in printing and mathematics
用法筆記
Mostly British and formal. American English typically calls this mark a 'slash' or 'forward slash'.
2. a slanting muscle along each side of your waist that helps you twist your body a
腹斜肌
腹部兩側斜向走的肌肉
a slanting muscle along each side of your waist that helps you twist your body and bend sideways.
The trainer told Aiko to tighten her obliques before each side bend.
教練要愛子在每次側彎之前先把腹斜肌收緊。
usually plural: obliques
Strong obliques help dancers rotate their upper body smoothly.
強壯的腹斜肌可以幫助舞者順暢地轉動上半身。
After three weeks of training, Marco could feel his obliques becoming firmer.
經過三週的訓練，馬可可以感覺到自己的腹斜肌變得更結實了。
The yoga instructor demonstrated a twist that stretches both the back and the obliques.
瑜伽老師示範了一個能同時伸展背部和腹斜肌的扭轉動作。
- side muscle
everyday descriptive term, not a technical name
- abdominal
broader; covers all stomach muscles, not only the side ones
用法筆記
Almost always plural ('obliques'). Common in fitness, dance, and medical contexts. Rarely used in the singular except in formal anatomical writing.
常見錯誤
oblique — 副詞
1. in a direction that is roughly halfway between straight up and flat across, slop
斜向地
以約四十五度的方向斜著
in a direction that is roughly halfway between straight up and flat across, sloping at about a 45° angle.
The wooden beam was set oblique to the supporting wall for extra strength.
為了增加強度，這根木樑被斜向地架在支撐牆上。
technical use describing how something is positioned
Hannah cut the fabric oblique so the pattern would flow across the dress.
漢娜把布料斜向地裁開，讓花樣可以順著洋裝流動。
The path runs oblique to the river, climbing slowly toward the cliffs.
這條小路斜向地沿著河流延伸，慢慢往懸崖爬升。
The narrow staircase rises oblique to the back wall of the old farmhouse.
這座狹窄的樓梯沿著老農舍的後牆斜向地往上延伸。
- obliquely
the much more common adverb form with the same meaning
- diagonally
everyday alternative for cutting or moving across corners
- straight
in a level vertical or horizontal direction
用法筆記
Very rare and formal. Most writers use 'obliquely' (the more standard adverb form) or rephrase with 'at an angle'.