middle

Definitions

1. noun

   The point in the center of something.

   Examples

   • Mark the middle of the line with a small dot.
   • The middle of a circle is the same distance from every edge.
   ≈centre
2. noun

   The part between the beginning and the end.

   Examples

   • I woke up in the middle of the night.
   • In the middle of the marathon, David collapsed from tiredness.
   ≈centre≈center≈midst
3. noun

   The center post in the game of cricket.

   Examples

   • The bowler knocked back the middle stump.
   • He aimed straight at the middle and got the batter out.
4. noun

   The waist, or the central part of the body.

   Examples

   • He wore a belt around his middle.
   • She felt a pain in her middle.
5. noun

   In grammar, a form of a verb in some languages where the subject acts for itself.

   Examples

   • Ancient Greek verbs can be active, passive or middle.
   • The middle shows that the subject acts on itself.
6. noun

   The part of politics between the left and the right.

   Examples

   • The president began to govern from the middle.
   • The party tried to win voters in the middle.
7. noun

   A short essay on a general topic in a newspaper.

   Examples

   • Did you see the paper had a middle on village life last week?
   • He wrote a thoughtful middle for the Sunday paper.
8. adjective

   In the center or between two other things.

   Examples

   • She sat in the middle seat.
   • His middle name is James.
9. adjective

   Neither one side nor the other.

   Examples

   • He took a middle position on the committee.
   • She took a middle stance between the two sides.
10. adjective

    In grammar, relating to the middle form of a verb.

    Examples

    • This is a middle verb form.
    • The book explains the middle form in detail.