mot

plural mots

1. A witty remark; a witticism; a bon mot.

   Here and there turns up a […] savage mot.

   1859, unknown author, “Literary Adventure. Life of Douglas Jerrold”, in North British Review

   1 more example

   ‘He comes from Montreal, in Canada.’ ‘Why?’ she said, repeating Dr Johnson's mot with a forced sneer.

   1970, John Glassco, Memoirs of Montparnasse, New York, published 2007, page 32

2. obsoleteA word or a motto; a device.

   1597–1598, Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum With his big title, an Italian mot

   1 more example

   Tarquin's eye may read the mot afar.

   1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC

3. obsoleteA note or brief strain on a bugle.

   Comrades, mark these three mots — it is the call of the Knight of the Fetterlock

   1819 December 20 (indicated as 1820), Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […], →OCLC

plural mots

1. IrelandUKslangA woman; a wife.

   And we shall caper a-heel-and-toeing, / A Newgate hornpipe some fine day; / With the mots, their ogles throwing, / Tol lol, &c. / And old Cotton humming his pray.

   En roulant de vergne en vergne

   1829 July 28, Vidocq, Eugène François with Maginn, William, transl., “Noctes Ambrosiana [En roulant de vergne en vergne]”, in Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, number 45, translation of En roulant de vergne en vergne, page 133

   1 more example

   Come wed, my dear, and let's agree, / Then of the booze-ken you'll be free; / No sneer from cully, mot, or froe / Dare then reproach my Bess for Joe; / For he's the kiddy rum and queer, / That all St. Giles's boys do fear.

   1789, G. Parker, “The Sandman's Wedding”, in Farmer, John Stephen, editor, Musa Pedestris, published 1896

2. IrelandUKslangA prostitute.
3. IrelandUKslangA landlady.

   After some altercation with the "mot" of the "ken" (mistress of the lodging-house) about the cleanliness of a knife or fork, my new acquaintance began to arrange "ground," &c., for the night's work.

   1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, volume 1, page 217

plural mots

1. alternativeAlternative form of mott.

   We drew up in a body, with a small mot of timber close by to which we could easily retreat.

   1844, George W. Kendall, Narrative of the Santa Fé Expedition, Comprising a Description of a Tour through Texas, and Across the Great Southwestern Prairies, the Camanche and Cayüga Hunting-Grounds, with an Account of the Sufferings from Want of Food, Losses from Hostile Indians, and Final Capture of the Texans, and Their March, As Prisoners to the City of Mexico, Harper and Brothers, page 39

1. The ancient Canaanite god of death and the underworld.

1. UKabbreviationhistoricalinitialismInitialism of Ministry of Transport (a former name of the Department for Transport) still in use relating to the MOT test it made compulsory in 1961, and three grades of aggregate it specified for road, path and sports court subbase layers.

plural MOTs

1. UKcolloquialcountableAn MOT test (an annual test of roadworthiness for most UK motor vehicles over three years old, or four years old in Northern Ireland).

   I can’t drive over this week, the car is in for its MOT.

   Synonyms: vehicle inspection

2. UKbroadlycountableAny regular checkup.

   2 more examples

   Mr. Baines: We have also said in our response that we believe that an 'MOT' for houses would be a good idea. How and when you apply this— Q120 Mr Olner: Wait a minute! I have got a motorcar and I have to have an MOT after three years, so if you are going to talk about an MOT for housing stock, what are we talking about in years […]

   2008, UK. Parliament. House of Commons. Communities and Local Government Committee, Existing Housing and Climate Change: Seventh Report (page 17)

   2026 January 19, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Emma Reynolds MP, Government unveils biggest overhaul to water in a generation (press release) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-unveils-biggest-overhaul-to-water-in-a-generation The new regulator will introduce an 'MOT' approach for water company infrastructure, requiring health checks on pipes, pumps and more.

3. UKcountableuncountableAn aggregate which meets one of the three Ministry of Transport standards for use in road, path and sports court subbase layers.

   MOT Type 1 gives the strongest base, MOT Type 3 the best drainage, and MOT Type 2 is intermediate for both

4. abbreviationinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of management of technology.
5. abbreviationcountableinitialismbusinessInitialism of microwave oven transformer.
6. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of member of the tribe (“a Jew”).

   This isn’t the first time American Apparel founder Dov Charney, who is Jewish, has gotten himself in hot water with his fellow MOTs.

   2013, Stephanie Butnick, “American Apparel’s Black Nail Polish Color is Called 'Hassid'”, in Jewcy

   1 more example

   And, of course, she and her family would be welcome in our home too, with bagels, crembos—and even the kind of four course meal we were lucky enough to enjoy with them, our fellow MoTs.

   2012, Gil Troy, “Finding Members of the Tribe”, in The Daily Beast

7. abbreviationcountableinitialismnatural sciencesInitialism of magnetooptical trap.

present singular third person MOTs · participle present MOTing · participle past MOTed · past MOTed

1. UKcolloquialTo subject a motor vehicle to an MOT test.

   I've got to get the car MOTed by Friday.