Amid

Amid
Amidst A*midst", Amid A*mid", prep. [OE. amidde, amiddes, on midden, AS. on middan, in the middle, fr. midde the middle. The s is an adverbial ending, originally marking the genitive; the t is a later addition, as in whilst, amongst, alongst. See {Mid}.] In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among. ``This fair tree amidst the garden.'' ``Unseen amid the throng.'' ``Amidst thick clouds.'' --Milton. ``Amidst acclamations.'' ``Amidst the splendor and festivity of a court.'' --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

But rather famish them amid their plenty. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Syn: {Amidst}, {Among}.

Usage: These words differ to some extent from each other, as will be seen from their etymology. Amidst denotes in the midst or middle of, and hence surrounded by; as, this work was written amidst many interruptions. Among denotes a mingling or intermixing with distinct or separable objects; as, ``He fell among thieves.'' ``Blessed art thou among women.'' Hence, we say, among the moderns, among the ancients, among the thickest of trees, among these considerations, among the reasons I have to offer. Amid and amidst are commonly used when the idea of separate or distinguishable objects is not prominent. Hence, we say, they kept on amidst the storm, amidst the gloom, he was sinking amidst the waves, he persevered amidst many difficulties; in none of which cases could among be used. In like manner, Milton speaks of Abdiel,

The seraph Abdiel, faithful found; Among the faithless faithful only he, [1913 Webster] because he was then considered as one of the angels. But when the poet adds,

From amidst them forth he passed, [1913 Webster] we have rather the idea of the angels as a collective body.

Those squalid cabins and uncleared woods amidst which he was born. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] ||


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • amid — amid·ic; …   English syllables

  • amid — amid, amidst Amid, recorded as a preposition and adverb before the Norman Conquest, developed two by forms, amides (cf. always) and amidst (cf. against, amongst). Amides has dropped out of use, and amid and amidst have survived only as… …   Modern English usage

  • Amid — 〈n. 11; Chem.〉 Derivat organischer Säuren, bei dem die Hydroxylgruppe der Carboxylgruppe durch eine Aminogruppe ersetzt ist (AzetAmid) [nach den beiden ersten Buchstaben von Ammoniak] * * * A|mid [Kurzw. aus ↑ Ammoniak u. ↑ id (1)], das; s, e: 1) …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Amid — Amid, 1) A. el Katib, s. Katib. 2) Ali Ebn Muhammed Ebn Selim Seifeddin A., arab. Philosoph in Algazalis Geist, geb. 1155 zu Amid (Diarbekr), st. 1233. Schr. u. a. das metaphysische Werk Ebkiaral Eskiar (d.i. Jungfrauen der Gedanken) …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Amīd — (Chem.), ein hypothetischer Körper, bestehend aus NH2. Man nimmt seine Existenz in den Verbindungen an, die sich aus den Ammoniaksalzen vieler organischer Säuren durch Austreten von 2 Atomen Wasser bilden, so aus dem benzoesauren Ammoniak das… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • amid — [əˈmɪd] or amidst [əˈmɪdst] preposition 1) while something is happening or changing Banks and shops closed yesterday amid growing fears of violence.[/ex] 2) surrounded by things or people …   Dictionary for writing and speaking English

  • Amid — A*mid , prep. See {Amidst}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Amid — Amid, ein hypothetisches Radikal (s. Radikaltheorie) …   Lexikon der gesamten Technik

  • Amid — Amid, Amĭda, alte mesopotam. Stadt, s. Diarbekr …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Amid — Amid, eine angenommene Verbindung von 2 Atomen Stickstoff und 2 Atomen Sauerstoff, bisher noch nicht für sich dargestellt …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • amid — index among Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

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