angle

[ ang-guh l ]

/ ˈæŋ gəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR angle ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Geometry.

the space within two lines or three or more planes diverging from a common point, or within two planes diverging from a common line.
the figure so formed.
the amount of rotation needed to bring one line or plane into coincidence with another, generally measured in radians or in degrees, minutes, and seconds, as in 12° 10prime; 30″, which is read as 12 degrees, 10 minutes, and 30 seconds.

an angular projection; a projecting corner: the angles of a building.

a viewpoint; standpoint: He looked at the problem only from his own angle.

Journalism.

slant(def 11).
the point of view from which copy is written, especially when the copy is intended to interest a particular audience: The financial editor added a supplementary article from the investor's angle.

one aspect of an event, problem, subject, etc.: The accountant emphasized the tax angle of the leasing arrangement.

Movies, Photography. angle shot.

Informal. a secret motive: She's been too friendly lately—what's her angle?

Astrology. any of the four interceptions of the equatorial circle by the two basic axes, the horizon and the meridian: commonly identified by the compass directions.

angle iron(def 2).

verb (used with object), an·gled, an·gling.

to move or bend in an angle.

to set, fix, direct, or adjust at an angle: to angle a spotlight.

Journalism. to write or edit in such a way as to appeal to a particular audience; slant: She angled her column toward teenagers.

verb (used without object), an·gled, an·gling.

to turn sharply in a different direction: The road angles to the right.

to move or go in angles or at an angle: The trout angled downstream.

Nearby words

angkor, angkor thom, angkor wat, angl., anglaise, angle, angle bar, angle board, angle bracket, angle cleat, angle iron

Idioms

play the angles, Slang. to use every available means to reach one's goal: A second-rate talent can survive only by playing all the angles.

Origin of angle

1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French < Latin angulus, of unclear orig.

Can be confused

angel angle

Definition for angle (2 of 3)

angle

[ ang-guh l ]

/ ˈæŋ gəl /

verb (used without object), an·gled, an·gling.

to fish with hook and line.

to attempt to get something by sly or artful means; fish: to angle for a compliment.

noun

Archaic. a fishhook or fishing tackle.

Origin of angle

before 900; Middle English v. angelen, noun angel, angul, Old English angel, angul; cognate with Frisian, Dutch angel, Old Saxon, Old High German angul (> German Angel), Old Norse ǫngull; Greek ankýlos bent, Sanskrit ankuśá- hook; akin to Old English anga, Old High German ango, Latin uncus, Greek ónkos hook; relation, if any, to Latin angulus angle¹ not clear

Definition for angle (3 of 3)

Angle

[ ang-guh l ]

/ ˈæŋ gəl /

noun

a member of a West Germanic people that migrated from Sleswick to Britain in the 5th century a.d. and founded the kingdoms of East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. As early as the 6th century their name was extended to all the Germanic inhabitants of Britain.

Origin of Angle

< Old English Angle plural (variant of Engle) tribal name of disputed orig.; perhaps akin to angle² if meaning was fisher folk, coastal dwellers

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for angle

The Qataris famously play every angle, cutting deals, for instance, with the Israelis as well as the Iranians.
U.S. Ally Qatar Shelters Jihadi Moneymen|Jamie Dettmer|December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We see the protoplanetary disk around it at an angle, but nearly “face-on.”
The Most Stunning View Ever of Planets Being Born|Matthew R. Francis|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And I thought the angle with this project, which is fiction, was interesting.
Gangster in Paradise: Benicio Del Toro Is Pablo Escobar|Alex Suskind|September 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So that was the angle that I think this movie had that made me want to jump into it.
Gangster in Paradise: Benicio Del Toro Is Pablo Escobar|Alex Suskind|September 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Now a young-looking 62, Stillman has always operated at an angle to the movie business.
Whit Stillman on the 20th Anniversary of ‘Barcelona’, His New Amazon Series, and the Myth of the Ugly Expat|Michael Weiss|August 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In some way one of his legs had slipped between the branches, the angle of which became more acute, of course, toward the apex.
Our Bird Comrades|Leander S. (Leander Sylvester) Keyser
I am afraid to say at what angle the rocky wall went up above us.
To The West|George Manville Fenn
There, having first stripped his prisoner of all his weapons, Hans sat the man up in the angle of the wall.
Otto of the Silver Hand|Howard Pyle
Go boldly up to him, and invent some pretence to address him, or wait in this angle of deep shade, and see what would happen next?
In the Days of My Youth|Amelia Ann Blandford Edwards
The main bearing bosses were split at a 45 angle for ease of assembly.
The Wright Brothers' Engines and Their Design|Leonard S. Hobbs.

British Dictionary definitions for angle (1 of 3)

angle

/ (ˈæŋɡəl) /

noun

the space between two straight lines that diverge from a common point or between two planes that extend from a common line

the shape formed by two such lines or planes

the extent to which one such line or plane diverges from another, measured in degrees or radians

an angular projection or recess; corner

standpoint; point of viewlook at the question from another angle; the angle of a newspaper article

informal a selfish or devious motive or purpose

See angle iron

verb

to move in or bend into angles or an angle

(tr) to produce (an article, statement, etc) with a particular point of view

(tr) to present, direct, or place at an angle

(intr) to turn or bend in a different directionthe path angled sharply to the left

Word Origin for angle

C14: from French, from Old Latin angulus corner

British Dictionary definitions for angle (2 of 3)

angle

/ (ˈæŋɡəl) /

verb (intr)

to fish with a hook and line

(often foll by for) to attempt to gethe angled for a compliment

noun

obsolete any piece of fishing tackle, esp a hook

Word Origin for angle

Old English angul fish-hook; related to Old High German ango, Latin uncus, Greek onkos

British Dictionary definitions for angle (3 of 3)

Angle

/ (ˈæŋɡəl) /

noun

a member of a West Germanic people from N Germany who invaded and settled large parts of E and N England in the 5th and 6th centuries a.d

Word Origin for Angle

from Latin Anglus, from Germanic (compare English), an inhabitant of Angul, a district in Schleswig (now Angeln), a name identical with Old English angul hook, angle ², referring to its shape

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for angle

angle

[ ăng′gəl ]

n.

The figure or space formed by the junction of two lines or planes.

Science definitions for angle

angle

[ ăng′gəl ]

A geometric figure formed by two lines that begin at a common point or by two planes that begin at a common line.

The space between such lines or planes, measured in degrees. See also acute angle obtuse angle right angle.