English

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Etymology

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From Middle French à la mort (to the death) reinterpreted as all amort.

Adjective

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amort

  1. (archaic, literary) As if dead; depressed
    Synonyms: lifeless, spiritless, dejected
    • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
      How fares my Kate? What, sweeting, all amort?
    • c. 1590 (date written), G[eorge] P[eele], The Old Wiues Tale. [], London: [] Iohn Danter, for Raph Hancocke, and Iohn Hardie, [], published 1595, →OCLC, [lines 3-5]:
      How nowe fellowe Franticke, what all a mort? Doth this sadnes become thy madnes?
    • 1737, Susanna Centlivre, The Perjur’d Husband[1], London: W. Feales, act IV, scene 2, page 56:
      What, all amort, Signior, no Courage left?
    • 1819, John Keats, “The Eve of St. Agnes”, in Lamia, Isabella, the Eve of St. Agnes, and Other Poems, London: [] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, [], published 1820, →OCLC, stanza VIII, page 87:
      The hallow'd hour was near at hand: she sighs / Amid the timbrels, and the throng'd resort / Of whisperers in anger, or in sport; / 'Mid looks of love, defiance, hate, and scorn, / Hoodwink'd with faery fancy; all amort, / Save to St. Agnes and her lambs unshorn, / And all the bliss to be before to-morrow morn.
    • 1890, Francis Saltus Saltus, “The Harem”, in Shadows and Ideals[2], Buffalo: Charles Wells Moulton, page 338:
      Here repose houris, dreamlike fair;
      Eyes half amort by amorous care;
      Marvels of flesh, wonders of hair!

Anagrams

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