Hunting. the note played on a hunting horn signifying that the animal hunted has been killed.
Obsolete. death.
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French, Old French, from Latin mort- (stem of mors ) “death”
First recorded in 1520–30; origin uncertain
First recorded in 1600–10; origin uncertain
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi! was first declared upon the coronation of Charles VII following the death of his father, the mad and tragic Charles VI, in 1422.
From Salon • Apr. 25, 2015
“For two years I photographed its dead cats, dogs, sheep, chickens, flamingos and other creatures in various stages of metamorphosis. I wanted to explore the ‘divers domaines de la mort.’
From New York Times • Nov. 26, 2014
This particular groupe de la mort has been made considerably less perilous by the fact that three teams will qualify for the quarter-finals under the complicated and contrived format of the competition.
From The Guardian • Feb. 22, 2013
"Le sport est mort a Saint-Junien," sobbed a heartbroken referee.
From Time Magazine Archive
He put his horn to his lips and blew the four long notes of the mort without a quaver.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
