Wordcyclopedia | English | Byzantine Generals problem

Byzantine

— adjective (= convoluted, involved, knotty, tangled, tortuous) highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious the Byzantine tax structure Byzantine methods for holding on to his chairmanship convoluted legal language convoluted reasoning the plot was too involved a knotty problem got his way by labyrinthine maneuvering Oh, what a tangled web we weave — Sir Walter Scott tortuous legal procedures tortuous negotiations lasting for months — adjective of or relating to or characteristic of the Byzantine Empire or the ancient city of Byzantium — adjective of or relating to the Eastern Orthodox Church or the rites performed in it Byzantine monks Byzantine rites — noun a native or inhabitant of Byzantium or of the Byzantine Empire

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general Adjective

— Usual; about most things. An idea is a general idea if it's about many things or about most things, not just about one specific thing. First I will talk about general problems of farming, and then I will talk about the specific problems of wheat farming. In general, I enjoy pizza. — General is approximate, not exact; maybe a little different; close but maybe not the same.

general Noun

— A general is the leader of an army. The president told the general to bring the army home.

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problem Noun

— A problem is something that is difficult to do, understand, or believe. If you have a problems with the computer, I can probably help. You should see your doctor if you think you have a health problem. This book tells you how to deal with drinking problems. If you are regularly late, it can cause problems. Today, we are concerned with some serious problems with the product. I solved the problem by replacing a broken part. It's a good idea to discuss your problems with a friend. Problems like these arise from a lack of care. We've identified a number of problem areas that need to be looked at. — A problem is a question on a test. Most students got the right answer for the first problem. — You say "no problem" to agree to do something. "Could you open the door for me?" "Sure, no problem!" — You say "no problem" after somebody thanks you or apologises to you. "Thank you so much for all your help." "No problem! Any time!"

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