† a-doors, adv. Obs.
Prop. written separately a doors; less commonly a door.
A phonetic reduction apparently of both of doors, o' doors (see a prep.2), and at doors (cf. a-do); common 6–8 in the phrases forth a doors, out a doors, in a doors, for which also the full forms occur.
| 1526 Tindale John xii. 31 Nowe shall the prynce off this worlde be cast out a dores. 1532 More Conf. Barnes viii. Wks. 1557, 804/2 Ye shall beare no part of that flesh foorth a dores. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 393 Charitie driueth feare out a doores. 1607 Topsell Four-footed Beasts (1673) 487 He taketh one..and draweth him in adoors. 1647 R. Stapylton Juvenal 38 Out a' doore I'm hurld. 1675 Hobbes Odyssey 51 She saw him coming in a door. Ibid. 204 And with two dogs at's heels went out a door. 1777 Sheridan Trip to Scarb. iii. iii. 504 Here, run in a-doors quickly. |
¶ Cf. the full phrases:
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. C. 268 In at a munster dor. 1590 Shakes. Com. Err. iv. iv. 36 Driuen out of doores with it when I goe from home. a 1593 Marlowe Jew of Malta ii. ii. 283 As you went in at doors. a 1654 Gataker Spirit. Watch 79 (T.) She would not go out at doors. |