phr. [a. Fr. à la mode, in the manner or fashion (15th c. in Littré), adopted in Eng. in 17th c. as an adv., and used also as adj. and sb. In the advb. sense now again treated as Fr. Formerly often written all-a-mode, as if containing all. Cf. all alive, all-agog.]
1. phr. In the fashion, according to the fashion.
1649. Selden, Laws of Eng., I. lxxi. (1739), 198. Commanders that are never a-la-mode but when all in Iron and Steel.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., I. 14. With Bands, Cuffs, Hats and Caps, ‘al a mode’ to the Times.
1657. Sanderson, Serm. (ed. 4), Pref. 1. I confess they are not Alamode.
1680–1. Roxb. Bal. (1883), IV. 631. And All-a-mode of the brisk Monsieur, In the midst of the Pit, like ourselves we do sit.
1751. Chesterfield, Lett., 241 (1792), III. 108. If you can get that name generally at Paris, it will put you à la mode.
2. adjectively, Fashionable; according to some particular fashion.
1650. Lovelace, Poems (1817), II. 53. Where now each alamode inhabitant, Himself and’s manners both do pay you rent.
1693. Locke, Educ., 67. That plainness of Nature, which the Alamode People call Clownishness.
1713. Steele, Englishm., No. 40. 260. All sorts of Perukes the most Alamode.
1761. Smollett, Gil Blas, III. v. (1802), I. 266. I began by five or six à-la-mode bows.
b. esp. in alamode silk (see 4); alamode beef: Scraps and remainders of beef boiled down into a thick soup or stew.
1686. Lond. Gaz., mmcxxvi/4. Very good black narrow Lute-Strings, and Alamode-Silks.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., Writers on cookery give the preparation of alamode or larded beef. Collins, Salt and Fish, p. 132.
1831. Macaulay, Johnson (1860), 85. His taste in cookery formed in … Alamode beef-shops, was far from delicate.
1843. Hood, Turtles, i. Alamode-beef and greens.
† 3. subst. A fashion or temporary mood. Obs.
1654. Whitlock, Mann. Engl., 354 (T.). Her alamodes are suitable shapings of her mind to all changes of occurrences.
1683. Kennet, trans. Erasm. Moriæ Enc., 44. For an old man to marry a young wife … is become the A la mode of the times.
4. A thin, light, glossy black silk.
1676. Lond. Gaz., mxcix/4. Several Pieces of wrought Silk, as Taffaties, Sarcenets, Alamodes, and Lutes. Ibid., mxciii/4. Sarcenet and Alamode Hoods.
1702. Ord. in Counc., 8 Mch. in Lond. Gaz., mmmdccxci/4. To wear Hatbands of Black English Alamode covered with Black Crape.
1861. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., V. 53. Regular exchange of the fleeces of Cotswold for the alamodes of Lyons.
