English noun: Gordian knot | |||
1. | Gordian knot (communication) any very difficult problem; insoluble in its own terms | ||
Broader (hypernym) | problem | ||
2. | Gordian knot (artifact) an intricate knot tied by Gordius, the king of Phrygia, and cut by the sword of Alexander the Great after he heard that whoever undid it would become ruler of Asia | ||
Broader (hypernym) | knot | ||