amid, adv. and prep.
(əˈmɪd)
Forms: 1 on middan, 2 on midden, 2–3 on midde, 3–4 amidden, a midde, 4–5 a-mydde, in mydde, 5–6 a-myd, 3– amid.
[orig. a phrase: on ‘in,’ middan, dat. sing. weak decl. of midde adj. ‘mid, middle’; as if = on þám middan (dǽle), on þǽre middan (stówe) ‘in the middle (place or part)’; hence either absolutely, or followed by a genitive, ‘in the middle of ―.’ Cf. L. in medio and Gr. ἐν µέσῳ, in which also the orig. adj. came to be used subst., and followed by the genitive: in medio montium. But already in OE. the phrase began to be treated as a prep., and followed by the dative, and in 12–13th c. the case signs were gradually dropped, leaving the governed n. as a simple object. So late as 15th c. amid was still occas. expanded to in mid; cf. a-two, in two; a-live, in life.]
† A. adv. In the middle, in the midst. Obs.
| a 1000 Sol. & Sat. 262 Se fuᵹol is on middan hwæles hiwes. 1205 Layam. 8154 Þe stæf tobræc amidden. 1297 R. Glouc. 14 A temple heo fonde fair y-now, and a mawmed amidde. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 3265 On þat oþer stage amidde ordeynt he gunnes grete. c 1400 Rom. Rose 7008 Al amydde I bilde and make My hous. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. vii. (1588) 274 Amid betweene the violent Robber..and the miching theefe..standeth the crafty cutpurse. |
B. prep.
1. In the middle or centre of. Orig. (a 13th c.) with a gen.. Now only poet.
| c 975 Rushw. G. Luke xxii. 55 On middum cæfertune..wæs [Peter] in middum hiora. c 1000 Ags. G. ibid., Petrus wæs mid him on middan þam cafertune. c 1175 Cotton Hom. 221 Ane treowe þe stent on midden paradis. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 87 On midden þere se. c 1220 Leg. Kath. 1478 Amid te burh. c 1300 Pop. Sc. (Wright) 132 A-midde the hevene as the streon a-midde theye. c 1440 Morte Arth. (1819) 66 In mydde the felde we shall hem byde. 1513 Douglas æneis x. v. 10 Amyd his cours, thare as he went. 1667 Milton P.L. iv. 218 And all amid them stood the Tree of Life. |
† 2. Of two things: Between. Obs.
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 62 Leste heo þes deofles quarreaus habbe amidden þen eien. |
3. more loosely, Near the middle of (a place), surrounded on all sides by (objects). Chiefly poet. a. with sing. n.: In the interior of (a place obs.), surrounded by (an extended body).
| 1340 Ayenb. 143 Þe play of children a-midde þe strete. c 1374 Chaucer Compl. Mars 79 In chambre amydde the paleys. 1430 Lydg. Chron. Troy i. vi, She kept it in full close Amyd her herte. 1600 Fairfax Tasso iv. iv, The Peeres of Plutoes Realme assembled beene Amid the Palace of their angry King. 1730 Thomson Autumn 1156 Amid the miry gulf. 1790 Cowper Odyss. xix. 347 Amid the billowy flood. 1840 Longfellow Voices of Nt., Flowers ix, Like Ruth amid the golden corn. |
b. with pl. n.: Surrounded by, among (objects).
| c 1230 Ancr. R. 270 He..þet amidden his unwines lið him adun to slepen. c 1320 Cast. Loue 333 A-midden alle his fon. a 1732 Gay Wks. 1745 I. 90 Suffer me..Amid thy bays to weave this rural weed. 1747 Collins Passions (1830) 58 His hand..Amid the chords bewilder'd laid. 1859 E. Capern Bal. & Songs 55 She is sitting in her cottage, Amid the flowers of May. 1874 Blackie Self-Cult. 42 A certain part of his work..must be done amid books. |
4. esp. In relation to the circumstances which surround an action. a. with sing. n. (indicating state or condition).
| 1513 Douglas æneis vii. x. 77 Amyd this deray This hate fury of slauchter and fell affray. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. i. 206 Amid this hurlie, I intend, That all is done in reuerend care of her. 1667 Milton P.L. vii. 48 Amid the choice Of all tasts else to please thir appetite. 1790 Cowper Iliad ii. 68 Amid the stillness. 1805 Scott Last Minstr. iii. xxxi, Amid the broil. 1812 J. Wilson Isle of Palms i. 29 My spirit sleeps amid the calm. 1853 Kingsley Hypatia iii. (1869) 43 Keep her spirit pure amid it all. 1871 J. Macduff Mem. Patmos i. 12 The last voice heard amid the roll of apocalyptic thunders. |
b. with pl. n. (indicating actions or events).
| 1719 Young Busiris i. i. (1757) 9 How wanton sits she amid nature's smiles! 1728 ― Love of Fame iv. (1757) 110 Amid sublimer views, To listen to the labours of the muse. 1812 Jane Austen Mansf. Park (1847) 71 The carriage drove off amid the good wishes of the two remaining ladies. 1841 Brewster Mart. Sc. ii. iii. (1856) 130 Hope..still cheered him amid his labours. 1876 Freeman Norm. Conq. II. x. 472 Amid general shouts of dissent. |
5. Comb. † amid-heaps (in 3 amid-hep(p)es for OE. on middan heápes), in midst of a heap or crowd; † amidmong (see mong n.1), in the midst of. Also amid-ships, q.v.
| c 1230 Juliana 69 Heo stod unhurt þer amidheppes heriende ure healent. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Paraphr. Mark xiv. 54 And there sate amidmong the lewde and ungracious companie of seruauntes. |