among

prep

1. Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).

   “to put the cat among the pigeons”

   “And Adam hyd him ſelf with his wyfe [Eve], from the preſence of yͤ LORDE God amonge the trees of the garden.”

   “As for the former [seaweed] called Zoſter, it is found among the ſhelves and ſhallovv vvaters not farre from the ſhore: both the one and the other appeare in the Spring, and be gone in the Autumne.”

   “They [vinellos] are commo[n]ly ſold for 3 pence a Cod among the Spaniards in the VVeſt-Indies, and are ſold by the Druggiſt, for they are much uſed among Chocolate to perfume it.”

   “When the good man skulked towards the boxes appointed for the Lacedemonians, that honest people, more virtuous than polite, rose up all to a man, and with the greatest respect received him among them.”

2. Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).

   “How can you speak with authority about their customs when you have never lived among them?”

   “In like maner Ephraim droue not out yͤ Cananites that dwelt at Gaſer [Gezer], but the Cananites dwelt amonge them at Gaſer.”

   “[W]e ſee that Horſſes and Dogges vvhich liue among men, and heare their continuall voices, do diſcerne alſo their termes of threatning, chiding, & rating, and ſo ſtand in avve of them; […]”

   “We have several of these irresistible gentlemen among us when the company is in town. These fellows are accomplished with the knowledge of the ordinary occurrences about court and town, have that sort of good breeding which is exclusive of all morality, and consists only in being publicly decent, privately dissolute.”

   “[E]ven the VVhim and Caprice of one ruling Man among them, is enough to arm all the reſt, vvithout any private Vievvs of their ovvn, to the vvorſt and blackeſt Purpoſes; […]”

3. Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).

   “He is among the few who completely understand the subject.”

   “All this has led to an explosion of protest across China, including among a middle class that has discovered nimbyism.”

4. Of a person or thing: in the midst of and surrounded by (other people or things).

   “When the history of this Nation, and our great State is written, it shall be recorded that John Dent was a giant among men, a humanitarian, and most of all, a man dedicated not only to the people who elected him, but a man dedicated to the nation as well.”

5. Of an event or a fact.
6. Of an event or a fact.

   “And if you come hether, / When Damſines [damsons] I gether, / I will part them all you among.”

   “There is a lad here, which hath fiue barley loaues, and two ſmall fiſhes: but what are they among ſo many?”

   “The scandal of a lie is in a manner lost and annihilated when diffused among several thousands; as a drop of the blackest tincture wears away and vanishes when mixed and confused in a considerable body of water; the blot is still in it, but is not able to discover itself.”

7. Of an event or a fact.

   “[Y]ou haue among you, kild a ſvveet and innocent lady: […]”

   “If the Injury vvas done by more, vvho did all equally concur to the doing of it, they are all equally bound to make Satisfaction; […] every one is not bound to ſatisfie for the vvhole, but pro ratâ parte, for his ſhare; provided they do among them make full Satisfaction.”

8. Of an event or a fact.

   “Foraſmuch as many haue taken in hande to ſet foorth in order a declaration of thoſe things which are moſt ſurely beeleued among vs, […] It ſeemed good to me alſo, hauing had perfect vnderſtanding of things from the very firſt, to write vnto thee in order, moſt excellent Theophilus, That thou mighteſt know the certaintie of thoſe things wherein thou haſt bene inſtructed.”

   “Such is the variety of opinions which are here entertained of me, so that I pass among some for a disaffected person, and among others for a popish priest; among some for a wizard, and among others for a murderer; and all this for no other reason that I can imagine but because I do not hoot, and hollow, and make a noise.”

9. Of an event or a fact.

   “Lactose intolerance is common among people of Asian heritage.”

   “Then was there diſcenſion amõge [amonge] the Jewes for theſe ſayenges.”

   “There goeth a commen reporte, that there is whordome amõge [amonge] you, and ſuch whordome, as is not once named amõge the Heythen, that one ſhulde haue his fathers wife.”

   “[…] I alvvayes thought / It vvas both impious and vnnaturall, / That ſuch immanity and bloody ſtrife / Should reigne among Profeſſors of one Faith.”

   “[T]he dissensions of the barons, who were then so many petty princes, ran very high, whether they quarrelled among themselves, or with their neighbours, and produced unspeakable calamities to the country.”

adv

1. (obsolete)Along with (someone or something); together.

   “Yeat interlace vve ſhall among the Loue of her and him: […]”

   “And of the ſame vvorke vvere their baſes, their head-'tires of flovvers, mix'd vvith ſiluer, and gold, vvith ſome ſprigs of Ægrets among, and from the top of their dreſſing, a thinne vayle hanging dovvne.”

2. (obsolete)At the same time, all the while, meanwhile.
3. (obsolete)In addition, beside.
4. (obsolete)Chiefly with contrasting adjectives or adverbs: from time to time, now and then; also, here and there.

   “[Y[our beſt vvay is, to direct your courſe Eaſt North-eaſt, and North-eaſt by Eaſt, among; […]”