1. The interior or central part or place; the middle; — used chiefly in the objective case after in; as, in the
midst of the forest.
And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him.
Luke iv. 35.
There is nothing . . . in the midst [of the play] which might not have been placed in the beginning.
Dryden. 2. Hence, figuratively, the condition of being surrounded or beset; the press; the burden; as, in the midst
of official duties; in the midst of secular affairs.
The expressions in our midst, in their midst, etc., are avoided by some good writers, the forms in the
midst of us, in the midst of them, etc., being preferred.
Syn. — Midst, Middle. Midst in present usage commonly denotes a part or place surrounded on
enveloped by or among other parts or objects (see Amidst); while middle is used of the center of length,
or surface, or of a solid, etc. We say in the midst of a thicket; in the middle of a line, or the middle of a
room; in the midst of darkness; in the middle of the night.
Midst
(Midst), prep. In the midst of; amidst. Shak.
Midst
(Midst), adv. In the middle. [R.] Milton.
Midsummer
(Mid"sum`mer) n. [AS. midsumor.] The middle of summer. Shak.
Midsummer daisy (Bot.), the oxeye daisy.
Midward
(Mid"ward) a. Situated in the middle.
Midward
(Mid"ward), adv. In or toward the midst.
Midway
(Mid"way`) n. The middle of the way or distance; a middle way or course. Shak.
Paths indirect, or in the midway faint.
Milton. Midway
(Mid"way`), a. Being in the middle of the way or distance; as, the midway air. Shak.
Midway
(Mid"way`), adv. In the middle of the way or distance; half way. "She met his glance midway."
Dryden.
Midweek
(Mid"week`) n. The middle of the week. Also used adjectively.
Midwife
(Mid"wife`) n.; pl. Midwives [OE. midwif, fr. AS. mid with (akin to Gr. ) + woman, wife. Properly,
the woman or wife who is attendant upon a woman in childbirth. See Meta-, and Wife.] A woman
who assists other women in childbirth; a female practitioner of the obstetric art.
Midwife
(Mid"wife`), v. t. To assist in childbirth.
Midwife
(Mid"wife`), v. i. To perform the office of midwife.
Midwifery
(Mid"wife`ry) n.
1. The art or practice of assisting women in childbirth; obstetrics.
2. Assistance at childbirth; help or coöperation in production.
Midwinter
(Mid"win`ter) n. [AS. midwinter.] The middle of winter. Dryden.
