(1.) from the Oxford English Dictionary: oubliette /u: bl I 'et/ n. a secret dungeon with access only through a trap door [F f. oublier forget] (2.) more simply: a place to put people to forget about them (3.) more recently: the opposite of (2); a link enabling one to find another Labyrinthine site or person

      "This," Hoggle was saying, "is an oubliette. The Labyrinth�s full of them."
      She was stung by his knowing, mocking tone of voice. "Really?" she replied, matching his sarcasm. "Now, fancy that."
      "Don�t try to sound smart," he told her. "You don�t know what an oubliette is."
      "Do you?"
      "Yes," Hoggle said, with a touch of pride. "It�s a place you put people to forget about them."
      She remembered her verbs in French class, and, pleased with herself, said, "Of course. It comes from the French verb oublier, to forget. But you already know that, naturally."
      Hoggle raised his chin to scratch it, at the same time letting his eyes roll portentously around the cell.

Labyrinth A Novel by A.C.H. Smith

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