oblīquo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [obliquus], to turn, bend, or twist aside, awry, or in an oblique direction (poet. and in post-Aug. prose).
I Lit.: oculos, Ov. M. 7, 412: visus, Stat. Ach. 1, 323: equos, id. Th. 12, 749: pedes, Sen. Ep. 121, 8: crinem, to draw back , Tac. G. 38: in latus ensem, Ov. M. 12, 485: sinus (velorum) in ventum, to turn obliquely to the wind, veer to the wind , Verg. A. 5, 16.—
II Trop.: obliquat preces, makes, utters indirectly , i. e. dissemblingly , Stat. Th. 3, 381: responsa, Arn. 3, 143: Q (littera), cujus similis (litterae K) effectu specieque nisi quod paulum a nostris obliquatur, i. e. is pronounced somewhat softer , * Quint. 1, 4, 9.