The Collaborative International Dictionary
Gordian \Gor"di*an\, a.
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Pertaining to Gordius, king of Phrygia, or to a knot tied by him; hence, intricate; complicated; inextricable.
Gordian knot, an intricate knot tied by Gordius in the thong which connected the pole of the chariot with the yoke. An oracle having declared that he who should untie it should be master of Asia, Alexander the Great averted the ill omen of his inability to loosen it by cutting it with his sword. Hence, a Gordian knot is an inextricable difficulty; and to cut the Gordian knot is to remove a difficulty by bold and energetic measures.
(Zo["o]l.) Pertaining to the Gordiacea.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1560s, tied by Gordius, king of Phrygia in Asia Minor, who predicted the one to loosen it would rule Asia. Instead, Alexander the Great cut the Gordian knot with his sword; hence the extended sense (1570s in English) "solve a difficult problem in a quick, dramatic way."
Wikipedia
The Gordian Knot is a legendary knot that became a metaphor for an intractable problem solved by a bold stroke.
Gordian Knot may also refer to:
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Gordian Knot (band), an American progressive rock band
- Gordian Knot (album)
- Gordian Knot motion, a motion in The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure to start over
- Gordian Knot Operation, a Portuguese military operation in its overseas province of Mozambique in 1970
Gordian Knot is an American progressive rock/ metal band directed by bass guitarist Sean Malone. At times its shifting lineup has included Steve Hackett of Genesis, Bill Bruford of King Crimson and Yes, Ron Jarzombek from Watchtower and Spastic Ink as well as Jim Matheos of Fates Warning, several of Malone's former bandmates from Cynic and John Myung from Dream Theater.
Gordian Knot is the debut album of Sean Malone's progressive rock project of the same name.
Usage examples of "gordian knot".
Sword was the intelligence and security arm of his employer's globe-spanning corporation, its title derived frori^sfteference to the ancient legend of the Gordian knot, wflich had defied every attempt at unraveling its complicated twists and turns until Alexander the Great cast subtlety aside and split it apart with a definitive stroke of his blade.
By biting the peg leg, Sunny had cut the Gordian Knot, for as the wooden pieces of fake peg leg fell to the floor of Damocles Dock, everyone could see a tattoo of an eye.
And as it enveloped him, he took one more try at untying the Gordian Knot that was Jasmine Alventin.
That would probably be like your precious Alexander when he cut the Gordian knot.
He had the air of a man who has decided that the best way to solve the Gordian knot problem would be to hack right down through the middle of it.
It is a Gordian Knot, and there is no sword or Alexander to cut it.