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
any very difficult problem; insoluble in its own terms
direct and obvious in meaning or reference; often unpleasant; "a pointed critique"; "a pointed allusion to what was going on"; "another pointed look in their direction"
a small valley between mountains; "he built himself a cabin in a hollow high up in the Appalachians"
a cavity or space in something; "hunger had caused the hollows in their cheeks"
as if echoing in a hollow space; "the hollow sound of footsteps in the empty ballroom"
not solid; having a space or gap or cavity; "a hollow wall"; "a hollow tree"; "hollow cheeks"; "his face became gaunter and more hollow with each year"
any of various small animals or insects that are pests; e.g. cockroaches or rats; "cereals must be protected from mice and other vermin"; "he examined the child's head for vermin"; "boys in the village have probably been shooting vermin"