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Chăŏs or Chăus , abl. Chao (other cases not used in the class. per.;
I.gen. Chaï, Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 664; dat. Chaï, Prisc. p. 720 P.), n., = Χάος.
I. The boundless, empty space; as the kingdom of darkness, the Lower World: “ingens,” Ov. M. 10, 30; 14, 404; id. Ib. 84: “inane,” id. F. 4, 600: “caecum,” Sen. Med. 741; Stat. Th. 12, 772; Val. Fl. 7, 402; “impersonated,” masc., god of the Lower World, father of Erebos and Nox, Verg. A. 4, 510 (acc. Chaos); 6, 265; Quint. 3, 7, 8; cf.: Janus... edidit hos sonos; “me Chaos antiqui, nam sum res prisca, vocabant,” Ov. F. 1, 103.—
B. Hence also, immeasurable darkness, deep obscurity: “Cimmerium,” Stat. S. 3, 2, 92: “horridum,” Prud. Cath. 5, 3.—
II. The confused, formless, primitive mass out of which the universe was made, chaos, Ov. M. 1, 7; 2, 299; Lact. 1, 5, 8; 2, 8, 8: “a Chao,” since the creation of the world, Verg. G. 4, 347.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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