Among (cf. 'mong), in or into the midst of, in or into the number of: “sometime he runs a. a flock of sheep,” Ven. 685. Lucr. Arg. Ven. 685 Sonn. 12, 10. 124, 4. 136, 8. Compl. 190. Gentl. III, 1, 337. IV, 2, 37. Wiv. III, 3, 14. Wiv. III, 3, 14 Ado V, 2, 76. LLL III, 197. V, 1, 104. V, 2, 684. Mids. III, 1, 32. III, 2, 67. Merch. I, 2, 120. II, 1, 46. III, 1, 25. III, 2, 182. All's I, 3, 81. IV, 1, 6. Wint. I, 2, 253. V, 2, 132. H4A I, 3, 105. H6A V, 5, 93 etc. etc. Preceded by its substantive: “and mine I pour your ocean all a.” Compl. 256. “go the fools a.” Lr. I, 4, 194.
2) Among them == jointly, both together: “you have a. you killed a sweet and innocent lady,” Ado V, 1, 194. “make him hanged a. you,” H4B II, 2, 105. “the man is dead that you and Pistol beat a. you,” V, 4, 19 (Q amongst). a woman lost among ye (== ruined by you) H8 III, 1, 107. that will I bestow a. my wife and “her confederates,” Err. IV, 1, 17 (i. e. upon my wife as well as all her confederates). “let his knights have colder looks a. you,” Lr. I, 3, 22 (i. e. from your whole company). “you have a. you many a purchased slave,” Merch. IV, 1, 90, i. e. you possess in common public slaves (cf. between).
3) between: “that such immanity and bloody strife should reign a. professors of one faith,” H6A V, 1, 14.
Adverbially: “and lusty lads roam here and there so merrily, and ever a. so merrily,” H4B V, 3, 23. (Nares: "To and among was equivalent to here and there. Overbury: She travels to and among." Perhaps corrupted from ever and anon. cf. still an end for still and anon).
Shakespeare Lexicon. Alexander Schmidt. Berlin. Georg Reimer. 1902.
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