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the act or art of fishing with a hook and line, usually attached to a rod.
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.

(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, .
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.
(def 2).
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; :
She angled her column toward teenagers.
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.
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.
to fish with hook and line.
to attempt to get something by sly or artful means; fish:
to angle for a compliment.
Archaic. a fishhook or fishing tackle.
Contemporary Examples

Are most angling for whatever political advantage they can take?
Good Riddance, Max Baucus Jamelle Bouie April 23, 2013

Despite the political overlaps, both parties and campaigns have been angling for the higher ground.
Mitt Romney Supports Low Student Loan Rates in Bid for Independent Voters Daniel Stone April 23, 2012

House Republicans angling to get big spending and tax cuts out of a new round of negotiations.
Jobs First Plan Would Create a U.S. Economic Ceasefire for Stability Mark McKinnon September 28, 2013

With Thursday’s vote resulting in a hung parliament, David Cameron is angling to join forces with Nick Clegg.
How to Fix Britain’s Disastrous Election Robert Lane Greene May 6, 2010

Imtiaz Gul on what the general’s angling for at this week’s U.S.-Pakistan talks—and why Obama must visit Islamabad next month.
Can This Man End the Afghan War? Imtiaz Gul October 21, 2010

Historical Examples

This state of things is less unpropitious to angling than might be expected.
Lost Leaders Andrew Lang

“And that is angling with the fly,” said he, still more decidedly.
Days Off Henry Van Dyke

He lets go the ropes, to disembarrass himself of his angling accoutrements; which he hurriedly does, flinging them at his feet.
Gwen Wynn Mayne Reid

She’s been angling and scheming for it for years, but she will find who she has to deal with.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1907 to 1908 Lucy Maud Montgomery

His angling course would have put him into the fog before the Fuor d’Italia reached it.
El Diablo Brayton Norton

noun

the art or sport of catching fish with a rod and line and a baited hook or other lure, such as a fly; fishing
(as modifier): an angling contest

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 view: look 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
(transitive) to produce (an article, statement, etc) with a particular point of view
(transitive) to present, direct, or place at an angle
(intransitive) to turn or bend in a different direction: the path angled sharply to the left
verb (intransitive)
to fish with a hook and line
(often foll by for) to attempt to get: he angled for a compliment
noun
(obsolete) any piece of fishing tackle, esp a hook
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
v.

“to fish with a hook,” mid-15c., from Old English angel (n.) “angle, hook, fishhook,” related to anga “hook,” from PIE *ang-/*ank- “to bend” (see angle (n.)). Cf. Old English angul, Old Norse öngull, Old High German angul, German Angel “fishhook.” Figurative sense is recorded from 1580s.

It is but a sory lyfe and an yuell to stand anglynge all day to catche a fewe fisshes. [John Palsgrave, 1530]

Related: Angled; angling.

“to move at an angle, to move diagonally or obliquely,” 1741, from angle (n.). Related: Angled; angling.
n.

“space between intersecting lines,” late 14c., from Old French angle “angle, corner,” and directly from Latin angulus “an angle, corner,” a diminutive form from PIE root *ang-/*ank- “to bend” (cf. Greek ankylos “bent, crooked,” Latin ang(u)ere “to compress in a bend, fold, strangle;” Old Church Slavonic aglu “corner;” Lithuanian anka “loop;” Sanskrit ankah “hook, bent,” angam “limb;” Old English ancleo “ankle;” Old High German ango “hook”). Angle bracket is 1875 in carpentry; 1956 in typography.

member of a Teutonic tribe, Old English, from Latin Angli “the Angles,” literally “people of Angul” (Old Norse Öngull), a region in what is now Holstein, said to be so-called for its hook-like shape (see angle (n.)). People from the tribe there founded the kingdoms of Mercia, Northumbia, and East Anglia in 5c. Britain. Their name, rather than that of the Saxons or Jutes, may have become the common one for the whole group of Germanic tribes because their dialect was the first committed to writing.

angle an·gle (āng’gəl)
n.
The figure or space formed by the junction of two lines or planes.
angle
(āng’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.

noun

Something one does for profit or advantage, esp a devious action disguised as altruism: That guy never does anything unless there’s an angle