middle

middle
/mid"l/, adj., n., v., middled, middling.
adj.
1. equally distant from the extremes or outer limits; central: the middle point of a line; the middle singer in a trio.
2. intermediate or intervening: the middle distance.
3. medium or average: a man of middle size.
4. (cap.) (in the history of a language) intermediate between periods classified as Old and New or Modern: Middle English.
5. Gram. (in some languages) noting a voice of verb inflection in which the subject is represented as acting on or for itself, in contrast to the active voice in which the subject acts, and the passive voice in which the subject is acted upon, as in Greek, egrapsámen "I wrote for myself," égrapsa "I wrote," egráphen "I was written."
6. (often cap.) Stratig. noting the division intermediate between the upper and lower divisions of a period, system, or the like: the Middle Devonian.
n.
7. the point, part, position, etc., equidistant from extremes or limits.
8. the central part of the human body, esp. the waist: He gave him a punch in the middle.
9. something intermediate; mean.
10. (in farming) the ground between two rows of plants.
v.t., v.i.
11. Chiefly Naut. to fold in half.
[bef. 900; ME, OE middel; c. G mittel; akin to ON methal among. See MID1]
Syn. 1. equidistant, halfway, medial, midway. 7. midpoint. MIDDLE, CENTER, MIDST indicate something from which two or more other things are (approximately or exactly) equally distant. MIDDLE denotes, literally or figuratively, the point or part equidistant from or intermediate between extremes or limits in space or in time: the middle of a road.
CENTER, a more precise word, is ordinarily applied to a point within circular, globular, or regular bodies, or wherever a similar exactness appears to exist: the center of the earth; it may also be used metaphorically (still suggesting the core of a sphere): center of interest. MIDST usually suggests that a person or thing is closely surrounded or encompassed on all sides, esp. by that which is thick or dense: the midst of a storm.
Ant. 1. extreme. 7. extremity.

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(as used in expressions)
Middle East Treaty Organization

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Middle — Mid dle (m[i^]d d l), a. [OE. middel, AS. middel; akin to D. middel, OHG. muttil, G. mittel. [root]271. See {Mid}, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. Equally distant from the extreme either of a number of things or of one thing; mean; medial; as, the middle… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Middle — may refer to: Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Geography in fiction …   Wikipedia

  • middle — [mid′ l] adj. [ME middel < OE < midd ,MID1 + el, LE] 1. halfway between two given points, times, limits, etc.; also, equally distant from all sides or extremities; in the center; mean 2. in between; intermediate; intervening 3. Gram. a …   English World dictionary

  • Middle — Mid dle, n. [AS. middel. See {Middle}, a.] The point or part equally distant from the extremities or exterior limits, as of a line, a surface, or a solid; an intervening point or part in space, time, or order of series; the midst; central… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • middle — [adj] central average, between, betwixt and between*, center, centermost, equidistant, halfway, inner, inside, intermediate, intervening, mainstream, mean, medial, median, medium, mezzo*, middlemost, middle of the road*, midmost, smack in the… …   New thesaurus

  • middle C — n [U] the musical note C, which is the middle note on a piano …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • middle C — ► NOUN Music ▪ the C near the middle of the piano keyboard, written on the first ledger line below the treble stave or the first ledger line above the bass stave …   English terms dictionary

  • middle — ► ADJECTIVE 1) at an equal distance from the extremities of something; central. 2) intermediate in rank, quality, or ability. ► NOUN 1) a middle point or position. 2) informal a person s waist and stomach …   English terms dictionary

  • middle — I adjective average, axial, centermost, central, centric, centroidal, equidistant, halfway, interjacent, intermediary, intermediate, mean, medial, median, mediate, mediocre, medium, mid, midmost, midway, pivotal II noun average, axis, center,… …   Law dictionary

  • middle — n *center, midst, core, hub, focus, nucleus, heart …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • middle C — n. 1. the musical note on the first ledger line below the treble staff and the first above the bass staff 2. the corresponding tone or key …   English World dictionary

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