abysm

  • 1Abysm — A*bysm , n. [OF. abisme; F. abime, LL. abyssimus, a superl. of L. abyssus; Gr. ?. See {Abyss}.] An abyss; a gulf. The abysm of hell. Shak. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2abysm — (n.) bottomless gulf, greatest depths, now chiefly poetic, c.1300, from O.Fr. abisme (Mod.Fr. abîme), from V.L. *abyssimus (source of Sp., Port. abismo), which represents either a superlative of L. abyssus or a formation on analogy of Greek… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 3abysm — *gulf, chasm, abyss …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 4abysm — [ə biz′əm] n. [OFr abisme < ML abysmus, altered after suffix ismus (see ISM) < L abyssus: see ABYSS] Old Poet. an abyss …

    English World dictionary

  • 5abysm — noun Etymology: Middle English abime, from Anglo French abisme, modification of Late Latin abyssus Date: 14th century abyss < the dark backward and abysm of time Shakespeare > …

    New Collegiate Dictionary

  • 6abysm — /euh biz euhm/, n. an abyss. [1250 1300; ME abi(s)me < MF abisme < VL *abyssimus, a neologistic pseudo superl. of LL abyssus ABYSS] * * * …

    Universalium

  • 7abysm — noun /əˈbɪzəm/ An abyss; a gulf, a chasm, a very deep hole …

    Wiktionary

  • 8abysm — (Roget s Thesaurus II) noun Something of immeasurable and vast extent: abyss, chasm, deep, depth (often used in plural), gulf. See HIGH …

    English dictionary for students

  • 9abysm — a·bysm || É™ bɪzÉ™m n. abyss, yawning chasm, immeasurable void; something unfathomable; abode of the dead, hell …

    English contemporary dictionary

  • 10abysm — [ə bɪz(ə)m] noun literary an abyss. Origin ME: from OFr. abisme, med. L. abysmus, alt. of late L. abyssus bottomless pit …

    English new terms dictionary