among, adv. and prep.
(əˈmʌŋ)
Forms: 1 on ᵹemonge, on ᵹemang(e, 1–2 onmang(e, 1–6 amang(e (north. after 3), 2–6 amonge, 2– among, 6– 'mong. North. 4 omang, 4– amang. Also 2 enmang, 4–5 emang, 5 in mange, emonge, 5–6 emong. See i-mong.
[orig. a phrase, on in + ᵹemang mingling, assemblage, crowd (f. ᵹemengan to mingle, combine: see meng); hence, with a n. in the genitive, ‘in the assemblage or company of,’ then used prepositionally with dat. or acc. Bef. 1100, the full on ᵹemang(e was reduced to onmang, whence by regular phonetic gradation amang, among. The simple ᵹemang was also used prepositionally without on, giving later ymong, i-mong, mong. Between among and imong, thus used side by side, arose emong. Modern poets also abbreviate among to 'mong. There was a parallel bimong.]
A. prep.
Prim. sign. In the mingling or assemblage of; hence, surrounded by and associated with.
(Cf. amid, -st, sometimes loosely used instead.)
Passage from phrase to preposition:—
| a 1000 Elene (Grein) 105 On feonda ᵹemang [= in the company of the enemies]. c 1000 Metr. Ps. lxxxi. 1 God mihtiᵹ stód godum on ᵹemonge [= the good among, in company with the good]. |
I. Of relation between object and objects.
1. Of the local relation of a thing (or things) to several surrounding objects with which it is grouped: Surrounded by locally. (With pl. n.)
| a 1000 Metr. Ps. xxv. 9 Ne forleos mine sawle onᵹemang þam arleasum. c 1000 Ags. Gosp. Matt. x. 16 Swa sceap ᵹemang wulfas [Lindisf. in middum vel inmong; Rushw. in midde]. c 1160 Hatton G. ibid., Swa scep onmang wulfen. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 195 Alse shep amang wulfes. 1250 Lay. 17742 Com vt..among alle his cnihtes. c 1300 Pop. Sc. (Wright) 133 Among all the planetes the sonne a-midde is. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus iv. 697 The body sate amange hem there. 1382 Wyclif Matt. xiii. 7 Other seedis felden amonge thornis. 1535 Coverdale Gen. iii. 8 Amonge the trees of the garden. 1605 Verstegan Dec. Intell. i. (1628) 6 To run up and downe one among another like madmen. 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, v. ii. 18 To make me wait at doore..'Mong Boyes, Groomes, and Lackeyes. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 6 ¶6 The Lacedemonians rose up..and..received him among them. 1842 Longfellow Slave's Dream iii, He saw once more his dark-eyed queen Among her children stand. c 1842 ― Bridge vi, Like those waters rushing Among the wooden piers. |
(β) (See also emong.)
| 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 709 He emang his fayis al Defendit him full douchtely. c 1460 Townley Myst. 22 Emang both more and myn. 1592 Davies Astræa in Chalmers Eng. Poets V. 101/2 Fair month..Emong thy days her birthday is. |
b. among the hands of: under the charge of, while being treated or attended to by, (Fr. entre les mains de). Obs. or dial.
| 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 97/3 He deyed sodaynly emong the handes of the sergeans. 1534 Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) E vj b, They that haue the charge of a prince..haue amonge theyr handes, hym that afterwarde oughte to gouerne. 1535 Coverdale Jer. xviii. 4 The vessel that the Potter made off claye brake amonge his hondes. Mod. north. The work that we have among our hands, i.e. with which we are engaged. |
2. Of the relation of a thing (or things) to the whole surrounding group or composite substance: Surrounded by the separate components or particles of. (With collectives, and sing. names of substances; with the latter in is often substituted.)
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 43 Þe leit a-monge þunre. c 1200 Ormin 15367 Siþþen don þeȝȝ falls annd flærd Amang þe gode lare. c 1300 Pop. Sc. (Wright) 135 Whan hit cometh among the fur. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 1687 A potful of bawme..Amonge a basket ful of roses. 1535 Fisher Wks. (1883) 437 This multitude, amonge whiche our sauiour Christe was. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1729) I. 235 Vinello's..are much used among Chocolate to perfume it. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 431 ¶3 A..Stone, which I found among the gravel. 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. xi, Among the bubbling blood. 1851 Longfellow Gold. Leg. 165 We were among the crowd that gathered there. |
3. Of the relation of anything in a local group to the other members of the group, although these do not actually surround it; as of an individual to the other members of the same community: In company, association, communion, or residence with or beside; in the house, city, or country of. (= L. apud, Fr. chez, Ger. bei.)
| c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 19 He com among us. c 1200 Ormin 299 Hæfedd preost Amang Iudisskenn þeode. c 1230 Ancr. R. 158 Ich wunie among men. c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 700 Cristes helpe be us amonge! 1387 Trevisa Higden Rolls Ser. VII. 45 Otho regnede among Duchesmen [apud Teutonicos]. 1535 Coverdale Judg. i, The Cananites dwelt among them at Gaser. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 156 ¶3 We have several of these irresistible Gentlemen among us when the Company is in Town. 1756 Burke Vind. Nat. Soc. Wks. I. 32 The whim and caprice of one ruling man among them. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 478 Susan..had some pride Among our topmost people to preside. |
4. Of the relation of a thing to others in the same nominal or logical group: In the number or class of.
| 1297 R. Glouc. 393 Roberd Courtehese þuderward hys herte caste..among oþere gode knyȝtes. 1340 Ayenb. 103 Amang alle þe heȝe names of oure lhorde þis is þe uerste. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 6551 Omang alle þat þar has bene sene, I fynde wryten paynes fourtene. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiii. i. (1495) 438 Amonge all elementes water is prouffytablest. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 1 Among other ther was..in my companye a worshipful gentylman. 1665 Manley Grotius's L.-Countr.-Warrs 297 Many were wounded, among whom was Count William. 1777 Hume Ess. & Treat. I. 86 Among the other excellencies of man. 1792 G. Wakefield Mem. I. 529 My poetical taste is among the most fastidious. 1849 Sir J. Stephen Eccl. Biog. I. 111 It is among the mysteries which we are bound to revere. |
b. esp. of things distinguished in kind from the rest of the group: Preeminent among, as distinguished from, in comparison with, above the others.
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 2 Moni cunne riwle beoð, auh tuo beoð among alle þet ich chulle speke of. c 1375 in Rel. Ant. I. 40 As the male..among trees of wodes, So is my derlyng among sones. 1382 Wyclif Luke i. 28 Blessid be thou among wymmen! [Ags. on wifum]. a 1450 York Myst. Pewterers F j, In mange al othir ane bare I. 1523 Ld. Berners Froissart I. cccli. 564 Your folkes haue brent my house, the whiche I loued among all other. c 1590 Marlowe Faustus 149 Mong which, as chief, Faustus, we come to thee. Mod. She is one among many. He is a Saul among the people. |
II. Of the relation of a predicable (attribute, action, event) to things or circumstances.
† 5. Of the relation of a fact or event to the circumstances which surround it; esp. (in early usage) to the time during or in course of which it happens. Obs.
| c 1075 O.E. Chron. (Laud. MS.) an. 1002 On ᵹemang þysum ofsloh Leofsiᵹ..þæs cynges heah ᵹerefan. Ibid. an. 1052 Þa amang þison þa wearð Godwine eorl ᵹewarnod. 1131 Ibid. an. 1127 Ofslaᵹen on ane circe..amang þane messe. 1154 Ibid. an. 1135 En-mang þis was his nefe cumen to Engle-land. 1250 Lay. 18174 Amang þis motinge Merlyn atwende. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2240 Omang his grete anguys, Hym þai sal tak. 1475 Caxton Jason 12 b, Among these thinges during these triews the king of sklauonye sente his propre messager. 1483 ― Gold. Leg. 155/1 Saynt ambrose..gaue up his ghoost emonge the wordes of his prayers. 1528 Gardiner in Pocock Rec. Ref. I. lii. 137 Among all which requests nothing certain is proponed. a 1691 Baxter in Tulloch Eng. Purit. iii. 306, I never went to any place among all my life..which I had before..thought of. |
† b. Hence conjunctive phr. among that: during the time that, whilst. Obs.
| a 1075 O.E. Chron. (Laud. MS.) an. 1046 Amanᵹ þam þe hi ridon. c 1123 Ibid. an. 1105 Onmang þam þe he þær wunode. c 1200 Trin. Coll. Hom. 183 Among þat þe sowle witeð . þe licame worpeð hewe. |
6. Of the relation of any action or attribute pervading a group to the members of the group: With or by (the members of a group) generally.
| c 1200 Ormin 2350 Nass þatt næfre fundenn ær Amang wimmenn onn eorþe. 1250 Lay. 29590 Amang the king his cnihtes me cleope[de] heom moglynges. 1297 R. Glouc. 50 Ac þer was among hem deol ynow. 1481 Caxton Reynard (Arb.) 4 Vsed..emonge marchantes and other comone peple. 1483 Act 1 Rich. III, i. §1 Grevous vexacions daily growen among the King's Subgiettis. 1535 Coverdale 1 Cor. v. 1 There goeth a commen reporte, that there is whordome amonge you. 1611 Bible 1 Sam. xvii. 12 The man went among men for an old man in the dayes of Saul. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 131 ¶7, I pass among some for a disaffected Person. 1807 Syd. Smith Plymley's Lett. i. Wks. III. 62 To render the military service popular among the Irish. 1877 W. Lytteil Landm. iii. iv. 118 The strife of ages may have blotted out their remembrances from among men. |
7. Of the relation of distribution or division to the various partakers: Divided between, in portions to each of, to be shared by severally.
| 1297 R. Glouc. 23 Þis lond was deled a þre among þre sones. c 1300 K. Alis. 4677 He nam Daries tresour, And pertid hit among his kynne. 1382 Wyclif John vi. 9 What ben thes thingis among so many men? 1611 Bible ibid., What are they among so many? 1712 Addison Spect. No. 507 ¶5 The scandal of a lie..when diffused among several thousand. Mod. That leaves five shillings among us. |
8. Of the relation of joint action to the various actors: By the joint action of.
| 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. iv. 19 The man is dead that you and Pistoll beate among you. 1599 ― Much Ado v. i. 194 You haue among you kill'd a sweet and innocent Ladie. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 100 His first sojourn at Fécamp, his hermit life, his abbacy at Florence..might well take up 24 years among them. Mod. Do it among you. |
9. Of the relation of reciprocal action between the members of a group.
| 1340 Ayenb. 65 Huanne þe dyeuel yziȝþ loue and onynge among uolke. 1535 Coverdale John x. 19 Then was there discension amonge the Iewes for these sayenges. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. i. 14 That such bloody strife Should reigne among Professors of one Faith. 1682 Norris Hierocles 34 Hence come wars among Relations, treacheries among Friends. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 70 ¶4 Whether they quarrelled among themselves, or with their neighbours. 1874 Farrar Christ II. 303 The uncertainty as to what He meant carried the disciples once more to questions among themselves. |
B. adv. [The prep. used ellipt.]
† 1. During this (period), meanwhile, all the while, at the same time. Obs.
| 1250 Lay. 5110 Þar was gleomenne songe, Þar was piping among. a 1300 Cursor M. 88 Of hir to mak bath rim and sang, And luue hir suette sun amang. c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 3370 Wreth es dedly syn omang, If it be halden in hert lang. 1387 Trevisa Higden Rolls Ser. VII. 7 Elsynus bisshop of Wynchestre evere among fondede to have þe see. c 1400 Court of Love xi, So than apace I journied forth amonge. c 1440 Morte Arth. (1819) 98 Hys fader dred he euyr among. c 1550 Bale Johan (1838) 11, I am his gostly father and techear amonge. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. iii. 21 Lustie Lads rome heere, and there; So merrily, and euer among so merrily. 1598 Greenwey Tacitus Ann. i. xi. 20 Fortune ruled the rest, and some honest men were slaine among. |
† 2. Betweenwhiles, at intervals, from time to time, now and then. ever among: every now and then; rarely of place, every here and there. Obs.
| a 1250 Owl & Night. 6 Sum wile softe, and lud among. a 1300 Floriz & Bl. 431 Floriz siȝte and weop among. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. ix. 86 Ere amonge ther be Welles wel colde. c 1449 Pecock Repr. ii. xii. 221 He schal seelde among be occupied of us. 1489 Caxton Faytes of Armes i. xiii. 35 By suche a way hath many an oost suffred emonge grete honger. 1567 J. Maplet Greene Forest 69 To eate Flies, and now & then among to eate crummie and dry earth. 1606 Holland Suetonius 26 Admonishing his soldiers ever and among, to observe and have an ey unto him. |
† 3. Of place: Together, among something else.
| 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xi. lxi. (1612) 271 Yeat interlace we shall among the loue of her and him. a 1613 Overbury A Wife (1638) 67 She travels to and among, and so becomes a woman of good entertainment. 1624 Bedell Lett. xi. 143 Here is..some truth mingled among. |
C. Comb. among-hands (north.): see A 1 b.
| 1855 Atkinson Whitby Gloss., Amang hands, work done conjointly with other things. ‘We can do't amang hands,’ or ‘all under one.’ |