skew lines

American  

plural noun

Geometry.

1. any lines in space that do not intersect and are not parallel.

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Etymology

Origin of skew lines

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

But despite key words and ideas that seem to connect, they are skew lines of inquiry.

From New York Times

If the infinitude of points on a line is taken as the infinitude of the first order, then the infinitude of lines in a pencil of rays and the infinitude of planes in an axial pencil are also of the first order, while the infinitude of lines cutting across two "skew" lines, as well as the infinitude of points in a plane, are of the second order.

From Project Gutenberg

If the student will trace a few of the consequences of that correspondence, and determine what configurations of circles correspond to intersecting lines, to lines in a plane, to lines of a plane pencil, to lines cutting three skew lines, etc., he will have acquired no little practice in picturing to himself figures in space.

From Project Gutenberg