Definition of "mot"

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

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

‘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

With his big title, an Italian mot

1597–1598, Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum

Tarquin's eye may read the mot afar.

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

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

1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe; a Romance. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co. […]

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

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.

1829 July, 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

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