middle /midˈl/

1. Equally distant (in measurement or in number of steps) from the extremes
2. Avoiding extremes, done as a compromise
3. Intermediate
4. Intervening
5. Of that voice which is intermediate between active and passive, reflexive or expressing an action in some way affecting the agent (grammar)
6. (with cap) belonging to or happening in the part of a time, period or series between those called early or late, as in the Middle Triassic
7. (with cap) (of languages) between Old and Modern as in Middle English, Middle High German, etc

1. To place in the middle
2. To fold in the middle (nautical)
3. To hit (the ball) with the middle of the bat (cricket)

1. The middle point, part or position
2. Midst
3. The central portion, waist
4. The middle voice (grammar)
5. The middle term (logic)
6. A middle article

middˈlemost adjective

Nearest the middle

middle-ageˈ noun

middle-agedˈ /-ājdˈ/ adjective

Between youth and old age, variously reckoned to suit the reckoner

middle-age spread or middle-aged spread noun

A thickening of the body, esp the waist, attributable to the onset of middle-age

Middle Ages plural noun

The time between the fall of the W Roman Empire and the Renaissance (5c–15c)

Middle America noun

1. The middle-class in the USA, esp the conservative elements of it
2. The countries lying between the USA and Colombia, sometimes including the West Indies

Middle-Amerˈican noun and adjective

middle article noun

A newspaper article of literary or general rather than topical interest

middˈle-brackˈet adjective

In a midway grouping in a list

middˈlebreaker noun (US)

A lister

middˈlebrow noun and adjective

(a person who is) midway between highbrow and lowbrow

middle C noun

1. The C in the middle of the piano keyboard
2. The first line below the treble or above the bass stave

middle class noun

The section of society which comes between the aristocracy and the working class

middˈle-class adjective

middle common room or (Cambridge University) middle combination room noun

In some universities, a common room for the use of postgraduate and mature students (cf junior common room, senior common room; abbrev MCR)

middle distance noun

1. (in a picture) the middle ground
2. A race distance of 800m or 1500m (athletics)

middˈle-distance adjective

(in athletics) of or denoting a race of 800m or 1500m, or an athlete who takes part in such a race

middle ear noun

The part of the ear containing the malleus, incus and stapes

middˈle-earth noun

The earth, considered as placed between the upper and lower regions

Middle East noun

1. Formerly, the countries from Iran to Burma (now Myanmar)
2. Now generally used of an area including the Arabic-speaking countries around the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea and in the Arabian Peninsula, sometimes along with Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Iran and the greater part of N Africa

Middle-Eastˈern adjective

Middle-Eastˈerner noun

middle eight noun

An eight-bar section occurring two-thirds of the way through a conventionally structured pop song and acting as a foil to the rest of the piece

Middle England noun

The English middle classes outside London, regarded as politically and socially conservative

Middle Englander noun

Middle English see under English

middle finger salute noun (slang)

An offensive gesture expressing anger, frustration, etc, in which the middle finger is extended upwards from a closed fist

middle game noun

The part of a chess game between the opening and the end game

middle ground noun

1. The part of a picture between the foreground and background
2. A compromise position

middˈle-income adjective

Having, or relating to those who have, an average income which makes them neither rich nor poor

Middle Kingdom noun

1. China (old)
2. The 11th to 13th dynasties in ancient Egypt (21c–17c BC)

middˈleman noun

1. A person occupying a middle position
2. An intermediary, esp between producer and consumer
3. In Ireland, a person renting land in large tracts, and subletting it in smaller portions (historical)

middle management noun

The junior managerial executives and senior supervisory personnel in a firm

middle name noun

1. Any name between a person's first name and surname
2. The notable quality or characteristic of a specified thing or person (facetious)

middle-of-the-roadˈ adjective

1. Midway between extremes
2. (esp of music) designed to appeal to a wide spectrum of tastes
3. Unexciting, mediocre

middle passage noun (historical)

The voyage across the Atlantic from Africa to the West Indies on board a slave-ship

middle price noun

(of a stock market share) a price midway between the buying (offer) price and the selling (bid) price, as often shown in newspapers

middle school noun

1. A school for children between the ages of about 9 and 13
2. In some secondary schools, an administrative unit usu comprising the third and fourth forms

middˈle-sized adjective

Of average size

Middle States plural noun

Those states orig constituting the middle of the USA, ie New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware

middˈle-stitching noun

Monk's seam

middle term noun (logic)

That term of a syllogism which appears in both premises but not in the conclusion

middˈleware noun (computing)

Software that allows two otherwise incompatible programs or networks to operate together

middle watch noun

That from midnight to 4am

• staphylococci
• staphylococcus
• staphyloma
• staphylomas
• staphylomata
• staphyloplasty
• staphylorrhaphy
• staple
• spinnery
• spinnet
• spinney
• spinneys
• spinnies
• spinning
• spinning-house
• spinning-houses
• spinning jennies
• spinning jenny
• spinning-mill
• spinning-mills
• spinning mule
• spinning mules
• spinnings
• spinning top
• spinning-wheel