mid-airn.adj.adv.

Brit.

/ˌmɪdˈɛː/, U.S.

/ˈmɪdˈɛ(ə)r/

Forms: see mid adj. and air n.¹

Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: mid adj., air n.¹

Etymology: < mid adj. + air n.¹

A. n.

1. A part or region of the air not close to the ground (or some equivalent surface). Chiefly in in mid-air: see sense A. 2a.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > gas > air > [noun] > air above our heads > portion of > specific

mid-air1605

under-air1832

1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. ii. 50 Th' excessiue cold of the mid-Aire, anon Candies-it [sc. a dropping show'r] all in balles of Icie stone.

1793 J. Thelwall Peripatetic I. 160 Who can..See through mid air yon orb refulgent stray.

1802 J. Baillie Ethwald ii. ii, in Series of Plays II. 286 Mazy birds Wing the mid air in lightly skimming bands?

1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. i. ix. 82 Mr. and Mrs. Boffin sat staring at mid-air.

1980 D. Brin Sundiver i. i. 9 Fagin's voice came tinnily out of midair.

1991 Sports Illustr. 14 Oct. 44/2 Midway through the third quarter..Ricky Turner picked a fumble from midair and zipped 26 yards for a TD.

2. in mid-air.

a. literal.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > gas > air > [phrase] > in mid air

in mid-air1667

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vi. 536 Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, and in mid Aire aloud thus cri'd.

1709 A. Pope Winter in Poet. Misc.: 6th Pt. vi. 749 No more the mounting Larks, while Daphne sings, Shall list'ning in mid Air suspend their Wings.

1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague II. lxxxi. 76 The torrent..now descends in some parts with a slow and majestic pace; in others seems almost suspended in mid air.

1830 C. Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 300 Large quantities of fine sand, which, being in mid-air when detached, are carried by the winds to great distances.

1833 H. Ellison Madmoments I. 343 Why may I not deem that in Midair A Spiritworld exists?

1883 Contemp. Rev. June 874 A sort of spiritualistic unattached garment, floating about in mid-air.

1928 R. Fry Let. 25 May (1972) II. 627 Reports of aeroplanes that catch fire and grill the passengers in mid-air.

1981 A. Gray Lanark xl. 506 He..saw in the window a dark reflection of himself, the captainish centre of a company standing easily in midair.

1998 Viz June 35/4 Even I know that a fish can't swim in mid air!

b. figurative. In a vague or unresolved condition or state of mind; in doubt.

ΚΠ

1883 Catholic World Aug. 584 The sure instinct of the lark bears him upwards. Not so our modern poet: he hovers about in mid-air, leaving his readers uncertain as to his ultimate destination.]

1892 Jrnl. Polit. Econ. 1 134 It will probably be reckoned a merit that he seldom leaves the reader suspended in mid-air.

1932 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Sept. 626/1 A remarkable scientific experiment, the far-reaching possibilities of which are left in mid-air.

1954 P. Frankau Wreath for Enemy ii. ii. 71 Crusoe had a genius for leaving stories half-told, tantalising references hanging in mid-air.

1990 E. Forsey Life on Fringe ix. 171 Leaving..the wretched young people hanging in mid-air, not knowing whether they were going to get summer jobs.

B. adj.

Situated or occurring in mid-air.

ΚΠ

1776 J. Bryant New Syst. III. 229 Here towering steep The rock Aornon rises high in view E'en to the mid-air region.

1874 Appletons' Jrnl. 22 Aug. 225 (heading) A mid-air itinerary.

1883 T. G. Hake Serpent Play v. vi. 109 And now the mid-air choirs outpour The anthem of an Evermore.

1958 ‘P. Bryant’ Two Hours to Doom 58 Mid-air refuelling.

1970 Guardian 21 Aug. 5/1 If something is not done soon about these near misses, there is bound to be a mid-air collision.

1995 Guardian 16 Sept. (Weekend Suppl.) 49/4 We watched as a Saker Falcon engaged in mid-air combat with a Goshawk, both birds emerging unscathed.

C. adv.

In mid-air.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > gas > air > [adverb] > in mid air

mid-air1877

1877 P. J. Bailey Festus (ed. 10) ix. 118 Thou seest, mid air, that darling little cloud?

1886 W. J. Tucker Life E. Europe 409 All those doors mid-air lead to the lofts above.

1909 J. Miller Poems I. 208 California soon shall wear..each hue That yonder hangs high-arched mid air!

1941 G. Taggard Long View 13 So great death meet thee mid-air By ecstasy attended.

1986 L. Erdrich Beet Queen ii. 37 Cakes of ice formed beneath the eaves where the dripping water solidified midair.

1998 Harper's Mag. May 71/3 They were doing their copulation rite midair, and soon they would hit the water to lay their eggs.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	mid-air
释义	mid-airn.adj.adv. Brit. /ˌmɪdˈɛː/, U.S. /ˈmɪdˈɛ(ə)r/ Forms: see mid adj. and air n.¹ Origin: Formed within English, by compounding. Etymons: mid adj., air n.¹ Etymology: < mid adj. + air n.¹ A. n. 1. A part or region of the air not close to the ground (or some equivalent surface). Chiefly in in mid-air: see sense A. 2a. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > gas > air > [noun] > air above our heads > portion of > specific mid-air1605 under-air1832 1605 J. Sylvester tr. G. de S. Du Bartas Deuine Weekes & Wks. i. ii. 50 Th' excessiue cold of the mid-Aire, anon Candies-it [sc. a dropping show'r] all in balles of Icie stone. 1793 J. Thelwall Peripatetic I. 160 Who can..See through mid air yon orb refulgent stray. 1802 J. Baillie Ethwald ii. ii, in Series of Plays II. 286 Mazy birds Wing the mid air in lightly skimming bands? 1864 C. Dickens Our Mutual Friend (1865) I. i. ix. 82 Mr. and Mrs. Boffin sat staring at mid-air. 1980 D. Brin Sundiver i. i. 9 Fagin's voice came tinnily out of midair. 1991 Sports Illustr. 14 Oct. 44/2 Midway through the third quarter..Ricky Turner picked a fumble from midair and zipped 26 yards for a TD. 2. in mid-air. a. literal. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > gas > air > [phrase] > in mid air in mid-air1667 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost vi. 536 Zophiel, of Cherubim the swiftest wing, Came flying, and in mid Aire aloud thus cri'd. View more context for this quotation 1709 A. Pope Winter in Poet. Misc.: 6th Pt. vi. 749 No more the mounting Larks, while Daphne sings, Shall list'ning in mid Air suspend their Wings. 1769 F. Brooke Hist. Emily Montague II. lxxxi. 76 The torrent..now descends in some parts with a slow and majestic pace; in others seems almost suspended in mid air. 1830 C. Lyell Princ. Geol. I. 300 Large quantities of fine sand, which, being in mid-air when detached, are carried by the winds to great distances. 1833 H. Ellison Madmoments I. 343 Why may I not deem that in Midair A Spiritworld exists? 1883 Contemp. Rev. June 874 A sort of spiritualistic unattached garment, floating about in mid-air. 1928 R. Fry Let. 25 May (1972) II. 627 Reports of aeroplanes that catch fire and grill the passengers in mid-air. 1981 A. Gray Lanark xl. 506 He..saw in the window a dark reflection of himself, the captainish centre of a company standing easily in midair. 1998 Viz June 35/4 Even I know that a fish can't swim in mid air! b. figurative. In a vague or unresolved condition or state of mind; in doubt. ΚΠ 1883 Catholic World Aug. 584 The sure instinct of the lark bears him upwards. Not so our modern poet: he hovers about in mid-air, leaving his readers uncertain as to his ultimate destination.] 1892 Jrnl. Polit. Econ. 1 134 It will probably be reckoned a merit that he seldom leaves the reader suspended in mid-air. 1932 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Sept. 626/1 A remarkable scientific experiment, the far-reaching possibilities of which are left in mid-air. 1954 P. Frankau Wreath for Enemy ii. ii. 71 Crusoe had a genius for leaving stories half-told, tantalising references hanging in mid-air. 1990 E. Forsey Life on Fringe ix. 171 Leaving..the wretched young people hanging in mid-air, not knowing whether they were going to get summer jobs. B. adj. Situated or occurring in mid-air. ΚΠ 1776 J. Bryant New Syst. III. 229 Here towering steep The rock Aornon rises high in view E'en to the mid-air region. 1874 Appletons' Jrnl. 22 Aug. 225 (heading) A mid-air itinerary. 1883 T. G. Hake Serpent Play v. vi. 109 And now the mid-air choirs outpour The anthem of an Evermore. 1958 ‘P. Bryant’ Two Hours to Doom 58 Mid-air refuelling. 1970 Guardian 21 Aug. 5/1 If something is not done soon about these near misses, there is bound to be a mid-air collision. 1995 Guardian 16 Sept. (Weekend Suppl.) 49/4 We watched as a Saker Falcon engaged in mid-air combat with a Goshawk, both birds emerging unscathed. C. adv. In mid-air. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > gas > air > [adverb] > in mid air mid-air1877 1877 P. J. Bailey Festus (ed. 10) ix. 118 Thou seest, mid air, that darling little cloud? 1886 W. J. Tucker Life E. Europe 409 All those doors mid-air lead to the lofts above. 1909 J. Miller Poems I. 208 California soon shall wear..each hue That yonder hangs high-arched mid air! 1941 G. Taggard Long View 13 So great death meet thee mid-air By ecstasy attended. 1986 L. Erdrich Beet Queen ii. 37 Cakes of ice formed beneath the eaves where the dripping water solidified midair. 1998 Harper's Mag. May 71/3 They were doing their copulation rite midair, and soon they would hit the water to lay their eggs. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < n.adj.adv.1605
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