SuaviloquyToday’s word

amongst

Among, Amongst, prep.

Etymology: [OE. amongist, amonges, amonge, among, AS. onmang, ongemang, gemang, in a crowd or mixture. For the ending -st see Amidst. See Mingle.]

1. Mixed or mingled; surrounded by. They heard, And from his presence hid themselves among The thickest trees. Milton.

2. Conjoined, or associated with, or making part of the number of; in the number or class of. Blessed art thou among women. Luke i. 28.

3. Expressing a relation of dispersion, distribution, etc.; also, a relation of reciprocal action. What news among the merchants Shak. Human sacrifices were practiced among them. Hume. Divide that gold amongst you. Marlowe. Whether they quarreled among themselves, or with their neighbors. Addison.

Syn. -- Amidst; between. See Amidst, Between.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for amongst; he lists it under amid.

Where he writes about it:

Amid or amidst denotes surrounded by; among or amongst denotes mingled with. — from amid