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# diagonal

adjective (diagonal); noun (a diagonal, diagonals); adverb diagonally

«diagonal» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (adjective) Diagonal means going in a slanting line, not straight across or straight up. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#m1)
2. (maths, noun) A diagonal is a straight line that joins two corners of a shape that are not next to each other. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#m2)
3. (adverb) Diagonally means in a slanting direction, from one corner towards the opposite one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#m3)

### In the lessons

A key geometry word: a square and a rectangle each have 2 diagonals, a pentagon has 5, a triangle has none. In everyday life you cut sandwiches diagonally or cross a field diagonally. In chess the bishop moves diagonally. Phrases: diagonal line, draw the diagonal, diagonally opposite.

### Examples

- Draw a diagonal from one corner of the square to the opposite corner. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x1)
- A rectangle has two diagonals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x2)
- Mum cut my toast diagonally into triangles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x3)
- The bishop moves diagonally across the chessboard. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x4)
- Our house is diagonally opposite the shop. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x5)
- The diagonal stripes on his tie were red and blue. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x6)
- A triangle has no diagonals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/#x7)

### Note

In maths: the two diagonals of a square are equal and cross at right angles; a diagonal cuts a square or rectangle into two equal triangles; a polygon with n sides has n × (n − 3) ÷ 2 diagonals (hexagon: 6 × 3 ÷ 2 = 9). Sides are not diagonals.

## In Jewish tradition

In Sefer Yetzirah, the twelve diagonal borders are the twelve edges of a cube-like space, which stand for the twelve simple letters.

**Interpretation.** Tradition reads these edges as marking out the six directions, and the world, with their boundaries extending without end.

### Examples

- == Chapter 6 == \[6:1\] Three Fathers and their descendants, and Seven Stars \[another version: Conquerors\] and their hosts, and Twelve Diagonal Borders. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/diagonal/#x1)
- Their measure is the Twelve Diagonal Borders: Northeastern border, Southeastern border, Upper-Eastern border, Lower-Western border, Upper-Northern border, Lower-Northern border, Southwestern border, Northwestern border, Upper-Western border, Lower-Western border, Upper-Southern border, Lower-Southern border. (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/diagonal/#x2)

### Note

In maths: the two diagonals of a square are equal and cross at right angles; a diagonal cuts a square or rectangle into two equal triangles; a polygon with n sides has n × (n − 3) ÷ 2 diagonals (hexagon: 6 × 3 ÷ 2 = 9). Sides are not diagonals.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «diagonal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/diagonal/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«diagonal» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/diagonal.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «diagonal» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/diagonal/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«diagonal» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/diagonal.html) on Mova free.