An abyss [ə-bĭs’] is a deep hole, so deep as to seem bottomless. “The Abyss” refers to the infernal regions that include the abode of the dead, the home of evil powers, and the place of punishment of the wicked. The adjective is abysmal.
If you stare into the Abyss long enough the Abyss stares back at you.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
“We must be getting close,” Ms. Wicks said, tying into an anchor at the top of the 11th pitch. A dizzying abyss, wide and windy, expanded out, up, down and side to side from the climbers’ stance. (NY Times)
Thank you for the new word!
But would you please explain it alittle more? I really didn’t get it, like
can I use it to describe something deep ??
I’m not a native speaker, so ya I need help
Ahh, if only I could find a way to dredge my thoughts up from the dark abyss they so readily seek….
or
“Help! My blog is stuck; unnoticed in the endless abyss of the internet! What can I do?”
Hmm…maybe I can talk you into doing a “Punctuation of the Day” too. So many rules…so little understanding.
Abyss is an awesome word and fun to play around with though.
Thanks for the word of the day. More often than not you end up unintentionally giving me a prompt as well, and it always makes me think!
~Connie
Nova,
Connie’s examples have probably given you an idea of how the word can be used in a figurative sense.
The word “abyss” carries the idea of depth so immense that things dropped into it would be lost forever so you couldn’t use it as a synonym for plain old “hole” unless you were trying to be humorous.
@ Maeve :nods: Yes, I definitely meant it as an attempt at humor, not in a literal sense. Sometimes my sense of humor is downright abysmal.
🙂