angle

/ˈæŋgəl/

/ˈængəl/

Other forms: angles; angling; angled

Remember all those pesky geometry classes in high school? Then you'll remember measuring the angle or space between two intersecting lines in degrees. If you recall that a right angle measures ninety degrees, give yourself a bonus.

Angle can also mean a biased way of looking at or presenting something. Talk radio stations, for example, often discuss current events with a "political angle." On a far more peaceful note, to angle also means simply to fish, both in the literal sense of trying to catch a fish on a hook or in the metaphorical sense of trying to subtly obtain something without being seen to do so directly, as in, "I'm going to angle for a promotion at work."

Definitions of angle

1. noun

   the space between two lines or planes that intersect; the inclination of one line to another; measured in degrees or radians
   types:

   crotch, fork

   the angle formed by the inner sides of the legs where they join the human trunk

   axil

   the upper angle between an axis and an offshoot such as a branch or leafstalk

   helix angle

   the constant angle at which a helix cuts the elements of a cylinder or cone

   complementary angles

   two angles whose sum is a right angle

   angular distance

   the angular separation between two objects as perceived by an observer

   plane angle

   an angle formed by two straight lines (in the same plane)

   spherical angle

   an angle formed at the intersection of the arcs of two great circles

   solid angle

   an angle formed by three or more planes intersecting at a common point (the vertex)

   angle of inclination, inclination

   (geometry) the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line (measured counterclockwise from the positive half of the x-axis)

   inclination, inclination of an orbit

   (astronomy) the angle between the plane of the orbit and the plane of the ecliptic stated in degrees

   salient angle

   an angle pointing outward; an interior angle of a polygon that is less than 180 degrees

   interior angle, internal angle

   the angle inside two adjacent sides of a polygon

   exterior angle, external angle

   the supplement of an interior angle of a polygon

   angle of incidence, incidence angle

   the angle that a line makes with a line perpendicular to the surface at the point of incidence

   angle of reflection

   the angle between a reflected ray and a line perpendicular to the reflecting surface at the point of incidence

   angle of refraction

   the angle between a refracted ray and a line perpendicular to the surface between the two media at the point of refraction

   angle of extinction, extinction angle

   the angle from its axis that a crystal must be rotated before appearing maximally dark when viewed in polarized light

   dogleg

   angle that resembles the hind leg of a dog

   right angle

   the 90 degree angle between two perpendicular lines

   oblique angle

   an angle that is not a right angle or a multiple of a right angle

   reflex angle

   an angle greater than 180 degrees (but less than 360)

   perigon, round angle

   an angle of 360 degrees

   cutting angle

   the angle between the face of a cutting tool and the surface of the work

   angle of dip, dip, inclination, magnetic dip, magnetic inclination

   (physics) the angle that a magnetic needle makes with the plane of the horizon

   lead

   the angle between the direction a gun is aimed and the position of a moving target (correcting for the flight time of the missile)

   magnetic declination, magnetic variation, variation

   the angle (at a particular location) between magnetic north and true north

   AZ, azimuth

   the azimuth of a celestial body is the angle between the vertical plane containing it and the plane of the meridian

   polyhedral angle

   the space enclosed by three or more planes that intersect in a vertex

   face angle

   the angle formed by two edges of a polyhedral angle

   tilt angle

   the angle a rocket makes with the vertical as it curves along its trajectory

   vertical angle

   either of two equal and opposite angles formed by the intersection of two straight lines

   angle of view, view angle

   the angle included by a photographic lens

   wave angle

   the angle of arrival (or departure) of a radio wave with respect to the axis of an antenna array

   supplementary angles

   two angles whose sum is 180 degrees

   latitude

   the angular distance between an imaginary line around a heavenly body parallel to its equator and the equator itself

   longitude

   the angular distance between a point on any meridian and the prime meridian at Greenwich

   celestial latitude, dec, declination

   (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial body north or to the south of the celestial equator; expressed in degrees; used with right ascension to specify positions on the celestial sphere

   RA, celestial longitude, right ascension

   (astronomy) the equatorial coordinate specifying the angle, measured eastward along the celestial equator, from the vernal equinox to the intersection of the hour circle that passes through an object in the sky; usually expressed in hours and minutes and seconds; used with declination to specify positions on the celestial sphere

   HA, hour angle

   (astronomy) the angular distance of a celestial point measured westward along the celestial equator from the zenith crossing; the right ascension for an observer at a particular location and time of day

   true anomaly

   the angular distance of a point in an orbit past the point of periapsis measured in degrees

   reentering angle, reentrant angle

   an interior angle of a polygon that is greater than 180 degrees

   hip

   (architecture) the exterior angle formed by the junction of a sloping side and a sloping end of a roof

   angle of attack

   the acute angle between the direction of the undisturbed relative wind and the chord of an airfoil

   critical angle

   the smallest angle of incidence for which light is totally reflected

   acute angle

   an angle less than 90 degrees but more than 0 degrees

   obtuse angle

   an angle between 90 and 180 degrees

   type of:

   space

   an empty area (usually bounded in some way between things)
2. verb

   move or proceed at an angle
   “he angled his way into the room”

   type of:

   go, locomote, move, travel

   change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
3. verb

   incline or bend from a vertical position
   synonyms: lean, slant, tilt, tip

   types:

   incline, pitch, slope

   be at an angle

   weather

   cause to slope

   heel, list

   tilt to one side

   lean back, recline

   move the upper body backwards and down

   ascend

   slope upwards

   stoop

   sag, bend, bend over or down

   fall

   slope downward

   climb

   slope upward

   dip

   slope downwards

   fall back

   fall backwards and down

   type of:

   bend, flex

   form a curve
4. verb

   seek indirectly
   synonyms: fish

   type of:

   look for, search, seek

   try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
5. noun

   a biased way of looking at or presenting something
   synonyms: slant

   type of:

   point of view, stand, standpoint, viewpoint

   a mental position from which things are viewed
6. verb

   present with a bias
   synonyms: skew, slant, weight

   type of:

   bias, predetermine

   cause to be biased
7. verb

   fish with a hook
   types:

   fly-fish, flyfish

   fish with flies as lures

   troll

   angle with a hook and line drawn through the water

   type of:

   fish

   catch or try to catch fish or shellfish