maze
/meɪz/ (bre, ipa) · /meɪz/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmāz/ (ame, mw)
maze — noun
- mazesingular
- mazesplural
1. an outdoor area built with tall walls or fences that form winding paths, where p
an outdoor area built with tall walls or fences that form winding paths, where people try to find their way from the entrance to the exit as a form of entertainment
The children spent the whole afternoon trying to find their way out of the hedge maze in the park.
collocation: hedge maze
A large maze made of tall bushes stood in the middle of the royal garden for visitors to enjoy.
Farmers in the countryside create corn mazes every autumn for families to explore together.
The tour guide handed us a map before we entered the maze, but we still got lost inside for an hour.
Every summer, the Okafor twins raced each other to the centre of the giant hedge maze on the estate.
常見錯誤
2. a place, especially a town or building, where the streets, paths, or rooms are a
a place, especially a town or building, where the streets, paths, or rooms are arranged in such a confusing pattern that it is easy to get lost
The old town was a maze of narrow streets that all looked the same to first-time visitors.
pattern: a maze of + noun phrase
Behind the central market, there is a maze of tiny alleys used only by shopkeepers for deliveries.
The librarian warned us that the basement held a maze of identical storage rooms with no windows.
New residents often get lost in the maze of winding roads inside the large housing complex.
The university buildings form a confusing maze that takes most new students weeks to learn.
用法筆記
Typically used in the construction 'a maze of + [plural noun]' to describe the confusing layout. The subject is often an area or building, not a person.
常見錯誤
3. a large number of rules, pieces of information, or details that are arranged in
a large number of rules, pieces of information, or details that are arranged in a confusing way and are difficult to understand or deal with
New immigrants often struggle to find their way through the maze of visa regulations and paperwork.
pattern: maze of [abstract noun]
The tax forms presented a maze of confusing questions that took the accountant hours to complete.
Students must navigate a maze of requirements and deadlines before they can finally graduate.
Dr. Nakamura helped the family untangle the maze of legal terms written into the insurance contract.
The hospital's appointment system was such a maze of phone numbers and referral codes that many patients gave up.
用法筆記
Always used with 'of' + a noun phrase describing the complex system. Common collocates include 'bureaucracy', 'regulations', 'rules', 'procedures'.
常見錯誤
maze — verb
- mazepresent simple I / you / we / they
- mazes3rd person singular
- mazing-ing form
- mazedpast simple
1. to make someone feel extremely confused or unable to think clearly, especially b
to make someone feel extremely confused or unable to think clearly, especially by presenting something that is very complex or strange
The trainees found themselves completely mazed by the wiring diagrams for the old radio set.
rare verb; formal/literary register
The dinner guests were mazed by the identical corridors inside the medieval castle and kept opening closet doors.
Everyone in the design team was mazed by the sudden shift in project requirements from the client.
New riders were completely mazed by the metro system with its eight different coloured lines branching in every direction.
The exchange student found herself mazed by the unfamiliar currency and the rapid speech of the market vendors.
用法筆記
Very rare in modern everyday English. Used mainly in literary or formal writing. The passive form ('be mazed') is more common than the active. Most modern speakers prefer 'bewilder', 'confuse', or 'perplex' instead.