Green’s Dictionary of Slang

shocked, surprised and thus rendered motionless.

1578		G. Whetstone Historye of Promos and Cassandra n.p.: Ca. (A scoffing catch pole.) How now Giptian? All a mort knaue, for want of company?
1592		Shakespeare Henry VI pt I III:2: Now where's the Bastard’s braves, and Charles his gleeks? What, all a-mort?
1607		R. West Court of Conscience n.p.: You are indited here what all a-mort, / Hold vp your hand heare your inditment read.
1614		T. Freeman Rubbe n.p.: Distaste our pallats, make vs All a Mort, / Our bodies of all faculties displace,.
1627		R. Niccols Beggars Ape n.p.: Hee gull’d the simple beast and suckt him dry. / Who left for lorne returned all a mort.
1630		J. Taylor Works 198: [W]hat all a mort, Why art thou so sad? [N]o, quoth shee. I am not sad, but I am studying which of our neighbours it is that is not a Cuckold.
1649		I. Ambrose Media 158: [A]rt thou now all a mort? O what dulness, what drowziness, what security is this?
1657		M. Lawrence Faith Universal 311: [S]o soon as he saw that intimation of Gods displeasure, his guilty Conscience strook him, and he was all a-mort.
1664		J. Wilson Cheats 77: Bil. Why Captain—What? All a mort? T.T. Faith I was contemplating upon the pence.
1673		J. Arrowsmith Reformation 32: Pacheco [D]amn me Madam all a mort?
1689		T. Plunket Character of a Good Commander 9: ‘What! fellow Souldiers are we all a mort?’ / ‘How Woman-like do we our selves deport!’ ‘Where is our quondam courage?’.
1700		E. Ward Journey to Hell 16: Within whose Bounds was held th’Infernal Court, / Without stood ghastly Prisoners All-a-mort.
1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: To be taken all-a mort; to be confounded, surprised, or motionless through fear.
1811		Lex. Balatronicum [as cit. 1785].
1823		Egan Grose’s Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue [as cit. 1785].
1859		Hotten Dict. of Modern Sl. etc.
1864		Stamford Mercury 30 Dec. 2/3: ‘You took me all A-mort,’ or confouned me.