middle
/ˈmɪd(ə)l
/adjective [attributive]
1At an equal distance from the extremities of something; central: the early and middle part of life middle and eastern Europe...
- When comparing flushes, the highest card is compared first, then if these are equal the middle card, and finally if necessary the lowest.
- For many years, middle and long distance running has been the strong point of our sport with field events and sprinting being the poor relations.
- Put simply, over the past quarter of a century he has become arguably the most successful coach in the history of middle and long distance running.
Synonyms
central, mid, mean, medium, medial, median, midway, halfway, equidistant, mesial
1.1(Of a member of a group or sequence) placed so as to have the same number of members on each side: the woman was in her middle forties...
- Each member of the team is credited with the time of the fifth team member to cross the finish line; this is the middle member of a nine-person team.
- In their middle years, the members of the Baby Boom generation will face the inevitability of their mortality.
- Denami, the middle brother, comes upon this bear and, thinking it killed the first brother, vows revenge.
1.2Intermediate in rank, quality, or ability: there is a dearth of talent at middle level...
- When it comes to deprivation, Bexley sits fairly comfortably in the middle ranks of the country but the Government-compiled figures mask a harsh reality.
- But the real discrimination was taking place in the middle ranks and that was where we had the hardest time.
- One of the big challenges is to recruit from the middle ranks upwards.
Synonyms
intermediate, intermedial, intermediary, inner, inside
1.3(Of a language) of the period between the old and modern forms: Middle High German
2 Grammar Denoting a voice of verbs in some languages, such as Greek, which expresses reciprocal or reflexive action.I will argue that the validity of the notion of deponency is questionable in light of a closer look at the function and meaning of the middle voice in Greek....
- We have already observed that during the time of Hellenistic Greek, the middle voice form was losing ground to the passive.
- The middle voice spoke not only for but also to the Greek sense of self.
2.1Denoting a transitive verb in English which does not have an equivalent passive, e.g. had in he had an idea.Further, with all forms except the aorist and future, we are not able to tell whether a verb is middle or passive.
noun
1 [usually in singular] The point or position at an equal distance from the sides, edges, or ends of something: she stood alone in the middle of the street...
- If the action is in the middle, both sides are cropped.
- Well here I have a single bed, so, my favourite side is the middle.
- In the middle of the two sides of this are large domes built on pillars of the same height as those of the outer arcade and an upper gallery runs all round it.
1.1The point at or around the centre of a period of time, activity, etc. we were married in the middle of December...
- But it added that if the issues fail to be resolved through negotiations, it would launch collective activities from the middle of next month.
- Secondly, when you do give her your gifts during the middle of the period, she will be so relieved that she won't realize that you've messed up her lecture.
- Irma is hoping the Commission will agree to an extension of the copyright period by the middle of next year.
Synonyms
centre, mean, median, mid point, halfway point, dead centre, focal point, focus, hub, nucleus, midst;
eye, heart, core, kernel, bosom, interior, depths, thick, bullseye
1.2 informal A person’s waist and stomach: he had a towel round his middle...
- She was shorter than I was by a good ten inches, round about the middle, but with the firm energy that my father used to possess.
- He was tall and broad-chested, if a bit round at the middle, and dressed much better than these other two.
- One was slightly large round the middle, the other wearing a very short skirt and denim jacket.
Synonyms
midriff, waist, waistline, belly, gut, stomach, paunch, pot belly, beer belly
informal tummy, tum, pot, bread basket
2 Grammar The form or voice of a verb expressing reflexive or reciprocal action.Other standard grammars use different lexemes but communicate the same reflexive idea for the middle....
- The middle, or Third Voice, can help the congregation be unafraid of conflict and to welcome it as an opportunity.
verb [with object]
(In cricket, tennis, etc.) strike (the ball) with the middle of the bat, racket, or club: every shot he took on, he middled...
- We got him out in the 20s with a mistimed shot, but if he had middled the ball, it would have come down in Rawtenstall!
- However, Sarwan can't be blamed too much for his dismissal, as Younis Khan held a stinging effort at short extra cover as Sarwan middled a drive.
- I was middling the ball well and continued from where I had left off after my good score against Zimbabwe in the previous game.
Phrases
down the middle
in the middle of
the middle of nowhere
steer (or take) a middle course
Origin
Old English middel, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch middel and German Mittel, also to mid1.