adj., n., & v.
--attrib.adj.
1. at an equal distance from the extremities of a thing.
2 (of a member of a group) so placed as to have the same number of members on each side.
3 intermediate in rank, quality, etc.
4 average (of middle height).
5 (of a language) of the period between the old and modern forms.
6 Gram. designating the voice of (esp. Greek) verbs that expresses reciprocal or reflexive action.
--n.
1. (often foll. by of) the middle point or position or part.
2 a person's waist.
3 Gram. the middle form or voice of a verb.
4 middle term.
--v.tr.
1. place in the middle.
2 Football return (the ball) from the wing to the midfield.
3 Cricket strike (the ball) with the middle of the bat.
4 Naut. fold in the middle.
Phrases and idioms:
in the middle of (often foll. by verbal noun) in the process of; during. middle age the period between youth and old age, about 45 to 60. middle-aged in middle age. the Middle Ages the period of European history from the fall of the Roman Empire in the West (5th c.) to the fall of Constantinople (1453), or more narrowly from c.1000 to 1453. middle-age (or -aged) spread the increased bodily girth often associated with middle age. Middle America 1 Mexico and Central America.
2 the middle class in the US, esp. as a conservative political force. middle C Mus. the C near the middle of the piano keyboard, the note between the treble and bass staves, at about 260 Hz. middle class the class of society between the upper and the lower, including professional and business workers and their families. middle-class adj. of the middle class. middle common room Brit. a common room for the use of graduate members of a college who are not Fellows. middle course a compromise between two extremes.
middle distance
1. (in a painted or actual landscape) the part between the foreground and the background.
2 Athletics a race distance of esp. 400 or 800 metres. middle ear the cavity of the central part of the ear behind the drum. the Middle East the area covered by countries from Egypt to Iran inclusive. Middle Eastern of or in the Middle East. Middle English the English language from c.1150 to 1500. middle finger the finger next to the forefinger. middle game the central phase of a chess game, when strategies are developed.
middle name
1. a person's name placed after the first name and before the surname.
2 a person's most characteristic quality (sobriety is my middle name). middle-of-the-road (of a person, course of action, etc.) moderate; avoiding extremes. middle passage the sea journey between W. Africa and the W. Indies (with ref. to the slave trade). middle school Brit. a school for children from about 9 to 13 years old. middle-sized of medium size. Middle Temple one of the two Inns of Court on the site of the Temple in London (cf. Inner Temple). middle term Logic the term common to both premisses of a syllogism. middle watch the watch from midnight to 4 a.m.
middle way
1. middle course.
2 the eightfold path of Buddhism between indulgence and asceticism. Middle West (in the US) the region adjoining the northern Mississippi.
Etymology: OE middel f. Gmc