| 释义 |
▪ I. mids, n., adv., and prep.
Forms: 3–6 myddes, 4 mides, mydis, -ys, 4–6 myddis, 4–7 middes, 5–6 middys, mydds, 5–7 middis, 6 mydes, myds, Sc. middiss, 6–7 midds, 7 Sc. midis, 6– mids. Also 7– 9 Sc. (in senses 2 and 3) midse.
[ME. middes, evolved from the advs. in-middes, on-middes (see in-mids and amidst) which are altered forms of OE. in middan, on middan (where the prep. regularly governs the dative of midde n. or of the wk. neuter adj.: see mid a. and n.). The alteration is due to the analogy of tó middes in the middle (see to-mids), where to governs the genitive as in some other phrases.]
A. n.
1. The middle, middle part or point; the midst. Chiefly in phrase in (the) mids (of). Obs. exc. Sc. (see E.D.D.).
1340Hampole Pr. Consc. 5192 Þar-for Crist sal sytte þar þat day, Onence þe myddes of erth þus for to say. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xix. (Cristofore) 14 Of his lyf al þe begynnynge, & þe mydis, & als þe endynge. 1375Barbour Bruce xv. 167 Syne with his baneris hardely [The] myddis of the toune he tais. 1377Langl. P. Pl. B. ii. 184 And thus fals and fauel fareth forth togideres, And Mede in þe myddes and alle þise men after. c1400Destr. Troy 1548 The walle..of marbill was most fro þe myddes vp, Of diuers colours. 1449in Cal. Proc. Chanc. Q. Eliz. (1830) II. Pref. 55 The beames shullen be in brede atte myddes xij inches and in thiknes viij inches. c1450Holland Howlat 1 In the myddis of May. 1530Palsgr. 245/1 Myddes parte of a channell, le fil dune riuiere. a1533Ld. Berners Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) I, A spyder that is in the myddes of her webbe. 1536R. Beerley in Four C. Eng. Lett. (1880) 35 Sume cum to mattens begenynge at the mydes, and sume when yt ys allmost done. 1544in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 213 In breadythe in the mydds Fyftye and fyve Foote. 1548–9(Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion, The Priest standing humbly afore the middes of the Altar. 1564Harding Answ. Jewel ix. 122 King Dauid thought it very vnfitting..that..the Arke of God was putte in the myddes of skynnes, that is, of the tabernacle. 1611Bible Luke iv. 30 He passing thorow the mids of them. Ibid. 35 When the deuill had throwen him in the middes. 1621Ainsworth Annot. Pentat., Gen. xxiv. 22 (1639) 92 A weight called in Hebrew bekagh, which signifieth cleft or cut in the mids. 1641Hinde J. Bruen xli. 129 A man who knew right well..what it was that did make a mans face to shine in the mids of his own house and in the Congregation.
†2. A means. Obs.
1520St. Papers Hen. VIII, II. 32 We truste..of this your hard and goode begynning shall folowe a better myddes. 15..1st Bk. Discipl. Ch. Scot. (1621) 74 He useth the ministery of men, as the most necessary middes for this purpose. 1616J. Maitland Apol. Maitland of Lethington in Scot. Hist. Soc. Misc. (1904) 200, I hoip that my father his dealings sal appeir sincer..& his endis & midis lauful & honest. 1646R. Baillie Lett. & Jrnls. (Bannatyne Club) II. 355 Your debates about the midses mak the end among your hand to be lost. a1658Durham Exp. Rev. ii. iv. (1680) 129 A sinful midse for attaining an end. 1710Wodrow Corr. (1843) I. 144 This is the midse [method] that is fallen upon at present to prevent rents.
3. A mean between two extremes; a middle course, a compromise. Obs. exc. Sc.
1553Kennedy Compend. Tract. in Wodr. Soc. Misc. (1844) 143 Betuix thir twa extremiteis geve it plesit God that the myddis sulde cum furth, apperandlie it wer ane gret ease. 1582–8Hist. Jas. VI (1804) 172 Quhair they conferrit lang with the Lordis upoun the xxi day of May for sum articles of peace, bot neuer concludit any midds. 1637–50Row Hist. Kirk (Wodr. Soc.) 111 The Assemblie laboured to take a mids in the mater. 1709W. Stewart Collect. Worship. Ch. Scot. 244 Temperance is the Golden Mids between Abstinence and Intemperance. 1720T. Boston Fourfold State (1797) 238 There is a mids betwixt omitting duty and the doing of it as thou dost it. 1875W. Alexander Sk. Ain Folk xii. 67 There's a midse i' the sea, ye ken, an' it is not wisse-like to gae sic len'ths.
†4. attrib. and Comb.: midsfinger, the middle finger; midsman, (a) a mediator; (b) in Ireland = middleman; mids-world, = middle earth.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 42 Ðo bad god wurðen stund and stede, Ðis middes werld ðor-inne he dede. 1483Cath. Angl. 239/1 Þe Middis fynger, medius degitus [sic]. a1662R. Baillie Lett. (1775) II. 401 Mr. Blair and Mr. Durham appeared as mids-men [ed. Bannatyne Club midmen: see mid man]. 1801Ann. Reg. 23 What has been the main cause of the wretchedness of the Irish and the Highlanders of Scotland? The midsmen of the former, and the tacksmen of the latter.
†B. adv. In the middle or midst. Obs.
c1407Lydg. Reson & Sens. 5197 And myddys of the soote herbage Ther be bestys eke savage. c1430― Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 12 Middes above, in ffulle riche aray, Ther satt a child off beaute precellyng.
†C. prep. In the middle of. Obs.
a1400–50Alexander 1061 Þan metis him myddis þe way was meruale to sene, A hert. c1475Partenay 5779 Thys wonderfull and meruelous best ne but on ey hath middes the forehed. c1611Chapman Iliad xviii. 549 To end which two begun (Mids all) a song.
▪ II. † mids, v. Obs.
[f. mids n.]
trans. To take a middle view of.
1693Stair Instit. ii. i. §41. 177 Tribonian midseth the matter thus. |