angle

UK: 'angle', 'Angle': /ˈæŋɡ^əl/ US: /ˈæŋgəl/ ,(ang′gəl)

Inflections of 'angle' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

angles

v 3rd person singular

angling

v pres p

angled

v past

angled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

an•gle¹ /ˈæŋgəl/   n., v., -gled, -gling. 
n. [countable]

1. Mathematics
   • the space within two lines or three or more surfaces that meet at a common point:
     placed a chair in the angle of the wall.
   • the figure so formed:
     a right angle.
2. a viewpoint;
   standpoint:
   She looked at the problem from a fresh angle.
3. Informal. a secret motive: He's been too friendly lately—what's his angle?
4. at an angle, not straight;
   obliquely:
   The branch juts out at an angle.

v. 

5. to move in or at an angle: [~ + object]
   He angled the car into the narrow driveway.
   [no object]
   The road angles sharply to the right.
6. [~ + object] to set, direct, aim, or adjust at an angle:
   to angle a spotlight.
7. Journalism to slant (a piece of reporting) toward a point of view:
   [~ + object] The newspaper angled the story to make the mayor look good.

an•gle² /ˈæŋgəl/   v. [no object] , -gled, -gling. 

1. to fish with hook and line:
   He was angling all morning.
2. to use sly means to attain:
   [~ + for + object] was angling for compliments.

an•gler, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

an•gle¹  (ang′gəl), n., v., -gled, -gling. 
n. 

1. Mathematics [Geom.]
   • 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.
   • Mathematics 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;
     30ʺ, which is read as 12 degrees, 10 minutes, and 30 seconds.
2. an angular projection;
   a projecting corner:
   the angles of a building.
3. a viewpoint;
   standpoint:
   He looked at the problem only from his own angle.
4. Journalism
   • slant (def. 11).
   • the point of view from which copy is written, esp. when the copy is intended to interest a particular audience:
     The financial editor added a supplementary article from the investor's angle.
5. one aspect of an event, problem, subject, etc.:
   The accountant emphasized the tax angle of the leasing arrangement.
6. Cinema, Photography [Motion Pictures, Photog.] See angle shot. 
7. [Informal.] a secret motive:
   She's been too friendly lately—what's her angle?
8. 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.
9. See angle iron (def. 2).
10. [Slang.] play the angles, to use every available means to reach one's goal:
    A second-rate talent can survive only by playing all the angles.

v.t. 

11. to move or bend in an angle.
12. to set, fix, direct, or adjust at an angle:
    to angle a spotlight.
13. Journalism to write or edit in such a way as to appeal to a particular audience;
    slant:
    She angled her column toward teenagers.

v.i. 

14. to turn sharply in a different direction:
    The road angles to the right.
15. to move or go in angles or at an angle:
    The trout angled downstream.

• Latin angulus, of unclear origin, originally
• Middle French
• Middle English 1350–1400

an•gle²  (ang′gəl), v., -gled, -gling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to fish with hook and line.
2. to attempt to get something by sly or artful means;
   fish:
   to angle for a compliment.

n. 

3. [Archaic.] a fishhook or fishing tackle.

• bef. 900; Middle English verb, verbal angelen, noun, nominal 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

An•gle  (ang′gəl), n. 

1. Ancient History, Language Varieties, World History 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.

• Old English Angle plural (variant of Engle) tribal name of disputed origin, originally; perh. akin to angle² if meaning was fisher folk, coastal dwellers

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

angle / ˈæŋɡ^əl/ noun

1. the space between two straight lines that diverge from a common point or between two planes that extend from a common line
2. the shape formed by two such lines or planes
3. the extent to which one such line or plane diverges from another, measured in degrees or radians
4. an angular projection or recess; corner
5. standpoint; point of view: look at the question from another angle, the angle of a newspaper article
6. See angle iron

verb

1. to move in or bend into angles or an angle
2. (transitive) to produce (an article, statement, etc) with a particular point of view
3. (transitive) to present, direct, or place at an angle
4. (intransitive) to turn or bend in a different direction

Etymology: 14th Century: from French, from Old Latin angulus corner

angle / ˈæŋɡ^əl/ verb (intransitive)

1. to fish with a hook and line
2. (often followed by for) to attempt to get: he angled for a compliment

noun

1. any piece of fishing tackle, esp a hook

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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Angle / ˈæŋɡ^əl/ noun

1. 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 ad

Etymology: 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, angle², referring to its shape