1. (Slavic.) Vertical or steeply inclined shaft in limestone, known as abime or aven in France and as pothole in England. 2. Any cave [10]. Synonyms: (French.) jama; (German.) Abgrund, Schacht, Schlund; (Greek.) karstikon phrear; (Italian.) abisso, foiba, pozzo, voragine; (Russian.) karstovy kolodec, karstovaja shahta; (Spanish.) sima, pozo, avenc; (Turkish.) obruk; (Yugoslavian.) bezdan, japaga, zvekara, pekel, brezno, prepad, propast. Related to cenote, doline, obruk, pit, shaft, shake hole.