Middle distance

Middle distance
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 house in a row; a middle rank or station in life; flowers of middle summer; men of middle age. [1913 Webster]

2. Intermediate; intervening. [1913 Webster]

Will, seeking good, finds many middle ends. --Sir J. Davies. [1913 Webster]

Note: Middle is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, middle-sized, middle-witted. [1913 Webster]

{Middle Ages}, the period of time intervening between the decline of the Roman Empire and the revival of letters. Hallam regards it as beginning with the sixth and ending with the fifteenth century.

{Middle class}, in England, people who have an intermediate position between the aristocracy and the artisan class. It includes professional men, bankers, merchants, and small landed proprietors [1913 Webster]

The middle-class electorate of Great Britain. --M. Arnold. [1913 Webster]

{Middle distance}. (Paint.) See {Middle-ground}.

{Middle English}. See {English}, n., 2.

{Middle Kingdom}, China.

{Middle oil} (Chem.), that part of the distillate obtained from coal tar which passes over between 170[deg] and 230[deg] Centigrade; -- distinguished from the {light oil}, and the {heavy oil} or {dead oil}.

{Middle passage}, in the slave trade, that part of the Atlantic Ocean between Africa and the West Indies.

{Middle post}. (Arch.) Same as {King-post}.

{Middle States}, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; which, at the time of the formation of the Union, occupied a middle position between the Eastern States (or New England) and the Southern States. [U.S.]

{Middle term} (Logic), that term of a syllogism with which the two extremes are separately compared, and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. --Brande.

{Middle tint} (Paint.), a subdued or neutral tint. --Fairholt.

{Middle voice}. (Gram.) See under {Voice}.

{Middle watch}, the period from midnight to four a. m.; also, the men on watch during that time. --Ham. Nav. Encyc.

{Middle weight}, a pugilist, boxer, or wrestler classed as of medium weight, i. e., over 140 and not over 160 lbs., in distinction from those classed as {light weights}, {heavy weights}, etc. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Middle distance — Distance Dis tance, n. [F. distance, L. distantia.] 1. The space between two objects; the length of a line, especially the shortest line joining two points or things that are separate; measure of separation in place. [1913 Webster] Every particle …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • middle distance — n the middle distance the part of a picture or view that is between the nearest part and the part that is furthest away ▪ She just stood there gazing into the middle distance …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • middle distance — n the middle distance the part of a picture or view that is between the nearest part and the part that is furthest away ▪ She just stood there gazing into the middle distance …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • middle distance — n. 1. the space between the foreground and the background in a picture, view, etc. 2. Track & Field a footrace or footrace distance of moderate length, including 800 meters, 1,500 meters, a half mile, or a mile middle distance adj …   English World dictionary

  • middle-distance — middle .distance adj [only before noun] a middle distance race is neither very short nor very long, for example 800 or 1500 metres …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • middle-distance — middle .distance adj [only before noun] a middle distance race is neither very short nor very long, for example 800 or 1500 metres …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • middle distance — ► NOUN 1) the part of a real or painted landscape between the foreground and the background. 2) Athletics a race distance between 800 and 5,000 metres …   English terms dictionary

  • middle distance — index center (central position) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • middle distance — noun the part of a scene between the foreground and the background (Freq. 1) • Hypernyms: ↑view, ↑aspect, ↑prospect, ↑scene, ↑vista, ↑panorama * * * noun, pl ⋯ tances 1 the middle distance …   Useful english dictionary

  • middle-distance — middˈle distance adjective (in athletics) of or denoting a race of 800m or 1500m, or an athlete who takes part in such a race • • • Main Entry: ↑middle * * * ˌmiddle ˈdistance [middle distance] adjective only before noun ( …   Useful english dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”