What is "labyrinth"

Labyrinth \Lab"y*rinth\, n. [L. labyrinthus, Gr. laby`rinthos: cf. F. labyrinthe.]

1. An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the Egyptian and Cretan labyrinths.

   Note: The Labyrinth of Classical Mythology was a vast maze constructed by Daedalus on the island of Crete, in order to confine the Minotaur; the task was done at the command of King Minos. One theory suggests that the myth had some basis in the structure of the palace of King Minos at Knossos, in Crete, it being a multistoried royal palace with labyrinthine passages between rooms.

2. Hence: Any intricate or involved inclosure; especially, an ornamental maze or inclosure in a park or garden, having high hedges separating confusingly convoluted passages.

3. Any object or arrangement of an intricate or involved form, or having a very complicated nature.

   The serpent . . . fast sleeping soon he found, In labyrinth of many a round self-rolled.
   --Milton.

   The labyrinth of the mind.
   --Tennyson.

4. An inextricable or bewildering difficulty.

   I' the maze and winding labyrinths o' the world.
   --Denham.

5. (Anat.) The internal ear. See Note under Ear.

6. (Metal.) A series of canals through which a stream of water is directed for suspending, carrying off, and depositing at different distances, the ground ore of a metal.
   --Ure.

7. (Arch.) A pattern or design representing a maze, -- often inlaid in the tiled floor of a church, etc.

   Syn: Maze; confusion; intricacy; windings.

   Usage: Labyrinth, Maze. Labyrinth, originally; the name of an edifice or excavation, carries the idea of design, and construction in a permanent form, while maze is used of anything confused or confusing, whether fixed or shifting. Maze is less restricted in its figurative uses than labyrinth. We speak of the labyrinth of the ear, or of the mind, and of a labyrinth of difficulties; but of the mazes of the dance, the mazes of political intrigue, or of the mind being in a maze.

c.1400, laberynthe (late 14c. in Latinate form laborintus) "labyrinth, maze," figuratively "bewildering arguments," from Latin labyrinthus, from Greek labyrinthos "maze, large building with intricate passages," especially the structure built by Daedelus to hold the Minotaur near Knossos in Crete, from a pre-Greek language; perhaps related to Lydian labrys "double-edged axe," symbol of royal power, which fits with the theory that the labyrinth was originally the royal Minoan palace on Crete and meant "palace of the double-axe." Used in English for "maze" early 15c., and in figurative sense of "confusing state of affairs" (1540s).

n. 1 A maze, especially underground or covered. 2 Part of the inner ear. 3 (context figuratively English) Anything complicated and confusing, like a maze. vb. 1 To enclose in a labyrinth, or as though in a labyrinth. 2 To arrange in the form of a labyrinth.

1. n. complex system of paths or tunnels in which it is easy to get lost [syn: maze]

2. a complex system of interconnecting cavities; concerned with hearing and equilibrium [syn: inner ear, internal ear]

In Greek mythology, the labyrinth ( Greek: λαβύρινθος labyrinthos) was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos. Its function was to hold the Minotaur eventually killed by the hero Theseus. Daedalus had so cunningly made the Labyrinth that he could barely escape it after he built it.

Although early Cretan coins occasionally exhibit branching (multicursal) patterns, the single-path (unicursal) seven-course "Classical" design without branching or dead ends became associated with the Labyrinth on coins as early as 430 BC, and similar non-branching patterns became widely used as visual representations of the Labyrinth – even though both logic and literary descriptions make it clear that the Minotaur was trapped in a complex branching maze. Even as the designs became more elaborate, visual depictions of the mythological Labyrinth from Roman times until the Renaissance are almost invariably unicursal. Branching mazes were reintroduced only when garden mazes became popular during the Renaissance.

In English, the term labyrinth is generally synonymous with maze. As a result of the long history of unicursal representation of the mythological Labyrinth, however, many contemporary scholars and enthusiasts observe a distinction between the two. In this specialized usage maze refers to a complex branching multicursal puzzle with choices of path and direction, while a unicursal labyrinth has only a single path to the center. A labyrinth in this sense has an unambiguous route to the center and back and is not difficult to navigate.

Unicursal labyrinths appeared as designs on pottery or basketry, as body art, and in etchings on walls of caves or churches. The Romans created many primarily decorative unicursal designs on walls and floors in tile or mosaic. Many labyrinths set in floors or on the ground are large enough that the path can be walked. Unicursal patterns have been used historically both in group ritual and for private meditation, and are increasingly found for therapeutic use in hospitals and hospices.

Labyrinth is an Italian power metal band formed in 1991 in Massa, Italy. The band underwent a change in style and themes after the departure of Olaf Thorsen in 2002.

Labyrinth is a solitaire card game which uses a deck of 52 playing cards. Just as the words labyrinth and maze are not synonymous, this game and the solitaire game of Maze should not be confused with each other because they are different in the manner of game play and dealing. The rules of the game described below are from the book Card Games for One by Peter Arnold.

The Labyrinth is an elaborate maze in Greek mythology.

Labyrinth, Labrinth, Labyrint and Labyrinthe, may also refer to:

Labyrinth is a 1986 British-American adventure musical fantasy film directed by Jim Henson, executive produced by George Lucas, and based upon conceptual designs by Brian Froud. The film revolves around 15 year-old Sarah's ( Jennifer Connelly) quest to reach the center of an enormous otherworldly maze to rescue her infant brother Toby, who has been kidnapped by Jareth, the Goblin King ( David Bowie). With the exception of Bowie and Connelly, most of the significant characters in the film are played by puppets produced by Jim Henson's Creature Shop.

The film started as a collaboration between Henson and Froud, with ideas for the film first being discussed between them following a screening of their previous collaboration, The Dark Crystal. Terry Jones of Monty Python wrote the first draft of the film's script early in 1984, drawing on Froud's sketches for inspiration. Various other script-writers, including Laura Phillips (who had previously written several episodes of Fraggle Rock), Lucas, Dennis Lee, and Elaine May, subsequently re-wrote and made additions to the screenplay, although Jones received the film's sole screen-writing credit. Labyrinth was shot on location in Upper Nyack, Piermont and Haverstraw in New York, and at Elstree Studios and West Wycombe Park in the United Kingdom.

The New York Times reported that Labyrinth had a budget of $25 million. The film was a box office disappointment and only grossed $12.7 million during its U.S. theatrical run. The commercial failure of the film demoralized Henson to the extent that his son Brian remembered the time of the film's release as one of the most difficult periods of his father's career. It would be the last feature film directed by Henson before his death in 1990.

Although it was met with a mixed critical response upon its original release, Labyrinth has since gained a large cult following. A four-volume manga sequel to the film, Return to Labyrinth, was published by Tokyopop between 2006-10. In 2012, Archaia Studios Press announced they were developing a graphic novel prequel to the film. In January 2016, it was announced that a reboot was in development, which was later denied by screenwriter Nicole Perlman.

Labyrinth is a board game for two to four players, published by Ravensburger in 1986.

Labyrinth is a video game published in 1984 by Acornsoft for the BBC Micro. At the time, it was a highly acclaimed Acornsoft release, with its high resolution graphics, addictive gameplay and fluid animation.

Labyrinth is a scrolling 2D shoot 'em up, consisting of a complex labyrinth made up of multiple levels. Each level is made up of a number of rooms, with the player only able to see a single room at any one time. Doorways are provided allowing the player to move between rooms.

Each level contains two special rooms, the 'Gate Room', and the 'Key Room'. The Gate Room contains an impenetrable gate, beyond which lies the next level. The Key Room contains a jewel which will open the gate, and is generally the most well-guarded and dangerous room in the level.

Rooms are populated with a variety of monsters, which become more and more dangerous as the player progresses through the game. The player is able to shoot or avoid the various monsters, as well as squash them with a "boulder" that the player is able to push around with them as they travel. Colliding with a monster will cause the player to lose health, often leading to the player's death.

Different types of fruit are scattered throughout the labyrinth, which will increase the player's health when eaten. The player slowly, but consistently, loses health at all times while in the Labyrinth, and will eventually die without eating fruit.

In 1987 the game was reissued on Superior Software's Acornsoft Hits compilation.

Labyrinth is the sixth studio album released by the multi- genre electronica group Juno Reactor. It was released on in the United States and on in Japan.

The Labyrinth is an extensive flat upland area which has been deeply eroded, at the west end of Wright Valley, in Victoria Land, Antarctica. It was so named by the Victoria University of Wellington Antarctic Expedition (1958–59) because the eroded dolerite of which it is formed gives an appearance of a labyrinth.

"Labyrinth" is the third single from German Neue Deutsche Härte group Oomph!'s tenth album Monster.

Labyrinth is the fifth studio album from German futurepop band Blutengel. It entered German Top 50 Albums Chart at 36 for a week. The album spawned a popular single, titled "Lucifer." It is also with Ulrike Goldmann, and not Constance Rudert. Lucifer was released as 2 cd's, entitled Purgatory and Blaze.

Labyrinth is the fourth self-titled studio album by the Italian power metal band Labyrinth, released June 25, 2003 on Century Media Records.

Labyrinth is the fourth full-length album, released by thrash metal band Equinox. It was released in 1994.

Labyrinth is an archaeological mystery English-language novel written by Kate Mosse set both in the Middle Ages and present-day France. It was published in 2005.

It divides into two main storylines that follow two protagonists, Alaïs (from the year 1209) and Alice (in the year 2005). The two stories occur in a shared geography and intertwine. The novel relies heavily on historical events such as the massacre at Béziers and the Crusade against the Cathars in Occitania, now the South of France, from around 1200. The text itself features many Occitan and French quotes. Ultimately the story becomes a quest for the Holy Grail.

In the 2006 British Book Awards, Labyrinth was awarded Best Read of the Year. According to The Sunday Times, it was the second best selling book in the United Kingdom in 2006, after The Da Vinci Code, selling about 865,400 copies in paperback. The Guardian ranked it the number one bestseller for 2006. An extract from the novel was used in the Scottish Qualifications Authority's 2009 Standard Grade English General close reading paper.

Labyrinth is a soundtrack album by David Bowie and Trevor Jones, released on cassette and vinyl in 1986 for the film Labyrinth. The first audio CD release was in 1989. It was the second of three soundtrack releases in which Bowie had a major role, following Christiane F. and preceding The Buddha of Suburbia. The soundtrack album features Trevor Jones' score, which is split into six tracks for the soundtrack: "Into the Labyrinth", "Sarah", "Hallucination", "The Goblin Battle", "Thirteen O'Clock", and "Home at Last".

Labyrinth is a game of physical skill consisting of a box with a maze on top with holes, and a steel marble. The object of the game is to try to tilt the playfield to guide the marble to the end of the maze, without letting it fall into any of the holes. Some versions of the game feature a suspended maze surface that rotates on two axes, each of which is controlled by a knob. Small handheld versions of the game are sold, with the box being completely closed with a transparent cover on top.

The game was developed by BRIO in Sweden and first released there in 1946. It was introduced to the United States by BRIO around 1950. Similar games are offered in the US by a number of companies, due to it never being properly copyrighted there (according to one such company).

Labyrinth is an opera in one act by composer Gian Carlo Menotti. The work was commissioned for television by the NBC Opera Theatre and uses an English language libretto by the composer. Unlike Menotti's previous television operas, such as Amahl and the Night Visitors, this opera was written with no intention of being moved to live stage performance later. Menotti intended for this work to utilize the special effects unique to television which could not be recreated in live theatre. As a result, NBC's television production of the opera is the only performance the work has received. At its premiere in March 1963 the opera was mainly criticized by the press for its trite use of allegory and music which rejected the avante garde in favour of romanticism. Critic Harold C. Schonberg stated in his review in The New York Times that,

"Menotti falls back on the procedures he has always used: the scraps of canonic imitation, the stretches of parlando, the Puccini like melodies, the banal waltz themes... [It] ended up an allegory that had all the dimension of a Mobius strip: an example of slick television and cinema of the 1960s wedded pretty much to music of the 1890s... On the whole Labyrinth is one of the thinnest musical concoctions Menotti has ever put together.

However, Schonberg did praise the quality of both the acting and singing given by the performers. The cast included John Reardon as The Bridegroom, Judith Raskin as The Bride, Elaine Bonazzi as The Spy, Robert White as The Old Chess Player, Beverly Wolff as The Executive Director, Bob Rickner as The Executive Director's Secretary, Frank Porretta as The Astronaut, Leon Lishner as Death, John West as Death's Assistant, Nikiforos Naneris as The Bellboy, and Eugene Green as The Italian Opera Singer. Kirk Browning directed the production with Herbert Grossman serving as conductor, Noel Taylor as costume designer, and Warren Clymer as set designer.

"Labyrinth" is a song by Italian star Elisa and was released as the second single from her debut album Pipes & Flowers in 1997.

Labyrinth is the third full-length album by Italian technical death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse. It was released on August 16, 2013, through Nuclear Blast.

Labyrinth is the set of sculptures and ceramics created by the Catalan artist Joan Miró for Marguerite Aimé Maeght, between 1961 and 1981. It is currently located at the Maeght Foundation in Saint Paul de Vence, France.

It consists of 250 works, mainly sculptures, scattered in a garden with terraces overlooking the sea, which illustrate the story of the connection between the Maeght family and Joan Miró. The labyrinth is a walk through the mind and imagination of the artist.

Labyrinth'' (German:Labyrinth der Leidenschaften'', Italian:Neurose) is a 1959 German-Italian drama film directed by Rolf Thiele and starring Nadja Tiller, Peter van Eyck and Amedeo Nazzari.

Labyrinth (or Terra Incognita) is a game played on paper for three or more players. One player, known as the "leader", designs the labyrinth and tells players where they can and cannot go, and whether they have reached a prize, treasure, hole or other obstacle. The other players attempt to traverse the labyrinth and try to get to the treasure.

Category:Paper-and-pencil games

Labyrinth is a historical television miniseries based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Kate Mosse. The setting jumps between modern and medieval France and follows two women (played by Vanessa Kirby and Jessica Brown Findlay) who are searching for the Holy Grail. Other cast members include Katie McGrath, Tom Felton, Sebastian Stan, Emun Elliott, Tony Curran, and John Hurt. Adrian Hodges adapted the novel for the series, which was directed by Christopher Smith.

A German-South African co-production, the two-part series was filmed on location in the medieval town of Carcassonne in southwest France and Cape Town, South Africa. The executive producers were Tim Halkin, Liza Marshall, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Rola Bauer, Jonas Bauer, and Hodges.

The series aired in Canada, Korea, Poland and Portugal in autumn 2012, in Sweden in December 2012, the UK in March 2013, the U.S. in May 2014, and was set to air in Austria and Germany early 2013. The running time was originally announced, and is still stated on the official website, as being "four hours". However, the broadcast version only runs for three hours.

Labyrinth is a 2013 artwork by the British artist Mark Wallinger that marks the 150th anniversary of the London Underground. The artwork consists of 270 enamel plaques of unique unicursal labyrinth designs, one for every London tube station, each will be numbered according to its position in the route taken by the contestants in the 2009 Guinness World Record Tube Challenge. In October 2014, Art/Books published Labyrinth: A Journey Through London's Underground by Mark Wallinger, a comprehensive photographic book of all 270 labyrinth designs in situ in the Underground stations.

Labyrinth is a 1991 German-Czech drama film directed by Jaromil Jireš. The film depicts Maximilian Schell playing himself investigating the life and influences of Franz Kafka played by Christopher Chaplin, and marked Jireš' return to Czech New Wave after having worked with television and documentaries for a number of years.

First screened on 22 October 1991 at Laemmle Monica 2 in Los Angeles, Labyrinth received the Critic's Choice at the 1992 American Film Institute International Film Festival.