Obs. [formed by removing the privative ἀ from abyss, Gr. ἄ-βυσσος; cf. Gr. βυσσός ‘depth of the sea, bottom.’] In the philosophy of Böhme: The opposite of abyss or void; plenum, substance, ground of attributes.
1649. J. Ellistone, trans. Behmen’s Epist., ii. (1886), 8. I saw … the Being of all Beings, the Byss (the ground or original foundation), and Abyss.
1662. Sparrow, trans. Behme’s Rem. Wks., Apol. Perfection, 63. Here is … neither place nor Limit, but the Manifestation of the Abysse in a Bysse or Ground.
1691. E. Taylor, Behmen’s Theos. Philos., 42. A Byss or Ground, whence come Forms or Properties. Ibid., 346. It … is the greatest substance in the Deity; drawing Abyss into Byss.
