Middle English Dictionary Entry
in middes prep. & adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | in middes prep. & adv. Also in mides, in middesse, in midest, in medis. |
| Etymology | From in mid(de. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
As prep.: (a) within the bounds of (sth.), inside, in, far within; ~ of; (b) in the center of (sth.); (c) among (a group of people); ~ of; (d) right into (sth.), straight into; (e) during (a meal).
Associated quotations
a
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)21.14 : Made es mi hert als wax..In mides of mi wambe [L in medio ventris].
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)10.122 : Þauh he mete with þe meyre in-mydest [vr. in myddesse, in þe middes of, in-midde, amyddes] þe strete.
- c1400(?a1387) PPl.C (Hnt HM 137)11.33 : Let brynge a man in a bot in-myddes a brode water.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1932 : He metez me þis god-mon in-myddez þe flore.
- a1425(c1333-52) Minot Poems (Glb E.9)16/56 : To biker with þe Normandes baldely þai bade, And in middes þe flode did þam to wade.
- a1425 NHom.(3) Leg.Suppl.Hrl.(Hrl 4196)33/419 : Bot when þai come in-middes þe flode, Þan deuils cried als þai war wode.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)167/18 : Whan the Emperour dyeth, men setten him in a chayere in myddes the place of his tent.
- a1450 Ordin.Nuns(2) (Vsp A.25)145/10 : At þe offerand tyme þe Priores sal lede þe madyn til þe toumbe in-mydes þe quer.
- c1450(a1400) Orolog.Sap.(Dc 114)363/27 : The soulles of wrecched folke caste þere-Inne..þat rennen as sparcles of fire in-myddes of þat brennynge fyre.
- c1475 Awntyrs Arth.(Tay 9)p.21 : In myddes the lyist on the lawunde, this lordes doun lyȝte.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)975/1 : He sawe in myddis of the shippe a knyght.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)167/139 : We haue receyvyd..in myddys of þi temple..thy grett mercy.
- a1500(?a1400) SLChrist (Hrl 3909)2009 : That sterre..stode..nerre the erthe..ffor in-myddes the ayr was hyt.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)2/31 : In medys the water..be now maide the firmament, And parte ather from othere.
b
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)1032 : In middes þat land a welle springes, Þat rennes vte wid four strandes, Stremes farand in ferr landis.
- c1400(?c1380) Pearl (Nero A.10)740 : This makellez perle..euen inmyddez my breste hit stode.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6442 : Som clerkes says..Þat helle even in myddes þe erthe es.
c
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)54.17 : Wickednisses ben in her woninges in-middes of hem.
- a1400 NVPsalter (Vsp D.7)54.17 : Nith in teldes of þam ai, In middes of am.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)1586 : Þan was he ware sone Of þe maister of þat meneyhe in-myddis [Dub: in-myddez of] þe puple.
- a1500(a1450) Gener.(2) (Trin-C O.5.2)6042 : On of the kynggez kynne..with a spere in myddes of the prese..he ranne vnto Generides.
d
- a1425(?a1350) 7 Sages(2) (Glb E.9)4320 : Hir fete þai fest vnto hir swyre, And lete hir flye in myddes þe fire.
- a1425(?c1350) Ywain (Glb E.9)2442 : He strake to him inmiddes þe brest.
e
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)125 : Now inmyddez þe mete þe mayster hym biþoȝt Þat he wolde se þe semble.
2.
As adv.: in the middle, in between.
Associated quotations
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)167 : Silk werkez..Þat were enbrauded abof, wyth bryddes & flyȝes, With gay gaudi of grene, þe golde ay in-myddes.
- c1400(?c1390) Gawain (Nero A.10)1004 : Gawan & þe gay burde togeder þay seten, Euen in-myddez, as þe messe metely come.
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)6445 : Alle erthe..may likend be Til a rounde appel..Þat even in myddes has a colke, And swa it may be tille an egge yholke.
- c1450 Jacob's W.(Sal 103)191/1,2 : Þi prayere comyth out of þin herte, & þerfore þat is heued & worthyest in-myddes betwen almes & fastyng, as þe heued of a schouyll is in-myddes be-twen þe scho & þe handyll.