The term 'athwart' is used to describe something that is positioned ACROSS or in a diagonal direction. This can be seen in the crossword solutions for the term, which include 'CROSSWISE' (9 letters), 'ACROSS' (6 letters), 'TRANSVERSE' (10 letters), 'ASLANT' (6 letters), 'OBLIQUELY' (9 letters), 'ASKEW' (5 letters), 'AWRY' (4 letters), 'CROOKED' (7 letters), 'OBLIQUE' (7 letters), 'SKEW' (4 letters), 'ASLOPE' (6 letters), 'INCLINED' (8 letters), and 'ANGLED' (6 letters), as well as 'CROSSWAYS' (9 letters). All of these words refer to something that is not in a straight line, but instead is positioned at an angle or diagonally.