oblique

Forms

oblīquē (comparative oblīquius, superlative oblīquissimē)^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin oblīquus (“slanting, sideways”) + -ē.^[2][3] De Vaan calls the origin of the adjective unknown: the closest words in form and meaning are līmus² (“transverse”) and sublīmis, but he finds no clear connection outside Italic.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero is the first to use it,^[3] of atoms that move either straight or at a slant.^[2]

Semantic evolution

The literal sense “at an angle” is also in Caesar, of piles driven in slanting.^[5] Of speech it meant by implication or innuendo: the elder Seneca speaks of something that would offend if said openly creeping in oblīquē et furtim, and Tacitus has it of censuring someone indirectly.^[2][5] Statius uses it of looking sideways.^[2]

Medieval Latin kept both senses, in astronomy for the oblique rising of the signs and in prose for blaming or answering indirectly,^[6] and Niermeyer adds “in an underhand way”.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of atoms moving at a slant.^[2][3]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of piles driven in slanting.^[5][3]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of indirect censure.^[5][3]
• c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of a sidelong look.^[2][3]

Meanings

Adverb

1. Slantwise, at an angle, obliquely.^[2][6]
2. (of speech) By implication, indirectly.^[2][5]
3. With a sidelong glance.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) In an underhand way.^[7]

Usage notes

The phrases ex oblīquō, per oblīquum and in oblīquum are used in the same sense, “from the side, sideways”.^[8]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
6. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press