obliquenessn.
/ə(ʊ)ˈbliːknᵻs/, U.S. /əˈbliknᵻs/, /oʊˈbliknᵻs/ The quality of being oblique or slanting, obliquity; indirectness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [noun] > quality of being oblique
obliquity?a1425
shoringness1567
biasness1611
obliqueness1611
diagonality1859
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > erring > errant conduct > [noun]
prevaricationc1384
obliquity?c1425
prolapsion1581
obliqueness1611
deviation1625
aberrancy1646
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun] > perversity or depravity
wharfedlaikc1175
obliquity?c1425
turpitude1490
perversenessa1500
pravitya1513
pervertness1581
beastlinessa1618
depravedness1623
depravity1646
moral turpitude1660
depravation1728
miscreancy1804
pervertedness1828
obliqueness1877
society > morality > moral evil > lack of principle or integrity > [noun] > lack of straightforwardness or uprightness
crookednessc1380
turningnessa1586
indirectiona1616
obliquitya1620
curvity1620
tortuosity1621
indirectness1628
unuprightnessa1680
unstraightness1693
deviousness1727
tortuousness1824
obliqueness1877
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Biaiseure Slopenesse, byasnesse, obliquenesse, or obliquitie.
1702 G. Harvey Vanities Philos. & Physick (ed. 3) iii. 109 A Body, that is..solid, having fewer, lesser, and more oblique pores,..may be called heavy, bycause the Air being resisted by paucity, streightness, and obliqueness, of its pores..,moves it more potently and speedily downwards toward the Earth.
1711 J. T. Desaguliers tr. J. Ozanam Treat. Fortification 7 'Tis plain, the more [cannon] fire is in the Curtain, the better is its defence... Because 'tis always so much fire got, whose obliqueness is the less, the more sides there are in the Polygon.
1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Obliqueness, athwartness, sidewayness, crookedness, slantingness.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Obliqueness, Obliquity,..deviation from parallelism or perpendicularity.
1784 Advice to New Member of Parl. 17 The angle is composed of two sides or parties, joining at one point, which is to take the advantage of public credulity... The acute angle is, when these sides approach too near, by the obliqueness of their disposition.
1822 H. Whiting Ontwa in Landmark Anthol. (1829) III. 299 While the gay tints of western flame That down the day's obliqueness came On hanging sheet and level stream Darted a soft and slanting beam.
a1845 J. Gummere Elem. Treat. Astron. (1854) 168 The degree of ellipticity varying according to the greater or less obliqueness of their position.
1869 Daily News 1 July Windows of aggravating obliqueness, which prevent your seeing any object in them properly.
1877 J. Morley Crit. Misc. 2nd Ser. 288 Controversies..marked by obliqueness, evasiveness, a shiftiness of issue.
1894 Overland Monthly Nov. 450 A certain obliqueness of eyes and scantiness of beard.
1937 ‘M. Innes’ Hamlet, Revenge! iii. i. 212 He had mentioned it—with a mischievous obliqueness—to Gott.
1994 Magnet May 39/2 Along with her electric guitar, Hersch has also shed her lyrical obliqueness going instead for the emotional jugular.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1611