{ } 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. 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 ]

adv. (Naut.) In the middle of a ship, with regard to her length, and sometimes also her breadth. Totten. [ 1913 Webster ]

the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. pl. [ OF. emmeroides. See Hemorrhoids. ] Hemorrhoids; piles; tumors; boils. [ R. ] Deut. xxviii. 27. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ , n. [ AS. friðstōl. See Fred, and Stool. ] A seat in churches near the altar, to which offenders formerly fled for sanctuary. [ Written variously fridstool, freedstool, etc. ] [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. [ L. haemorrhoidae, pl., Gr. &unr_;, sing., &unr_; (sc. &unr_;), pl., veins liable to discharge blood, hemorrhoids, fr. &unr_; flowing with blood; a"i^ma blood + &unr_; to flow: cf. F. hémorroïdes, hémorrhoïdes. See Rheum.] (Med.) Livid and painful swellings formed by the dilation of the blood vessels around the margin of, or within, the anus, from which blood or mucus is occasionally discharged; piles; emerods. [The sing. hemorrhoid is rarely used.] [1913 Webster]

n. A soft smooth leather from the hide of a young goat; kid{ 3 }.
Syn. -- kid. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. A female servant. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to, or being in, the middle of a ship. [ 1913 Webster ]

Midship beam (Naut.), the beam or timber upon which the broadest part of a vessel is formed. --
Midship bend, the broadest frame in a vessel. Weale. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Midshipmen [ 1913 Webster ]

1. (a) Formerly, a kind of naval cadet, in a ship of war, whose business was to carry orders, messages, reports, etc., between the officers of the quarter-deck and those of the forecastle, and render other services as required. (b) In the English naval service, the second rank attained by a combatant officer after a term of service as naval cadet. Having served three and a half years in this rank, and passed an examination, he is eligible to promotion to the rank of lieutenant. (c) In the United States navy, the lowest grade of officers in line of promotion, being students or graduates of the Naval Academy awaiting promotion to the rank of ensign. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) An American marine fish of the genus Porichthys, allied to the toadfish; also called singingfish. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cadet midshipman, formerly a title distinguishing a cadet line officer from a cadet engineer at the U. S. Naval Academy. See under Cadet. --
Cadet midshipman, formerly, a naval cadet who had served his time, passed his examinations, and was awaiting promotion; -- now called, in the United States, midshipman; in England, sublieutenant. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. [ For amidships. ] (Naut.) In the middle of a ship; -- properly amidships. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. pl. (Naut.) The timbers at the broadest part of the vessel. R. H. Dana, Jr. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From middest, in the middest, for older in middes, where -s is adverbial (orig. forming a genitive), or still older a midde, a midden, on midden. See Mid, and cf. Amidst. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him. Luke iv. 35. [ 1913 Webster ]

There is nothing . . . in the midst [ of the play ] which might not have been placed in the beginning. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ 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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

prep. In the midst of; amidst. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In the middle. [ R. ] Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. the middle of a stream; as, don't change horses in midstream. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ AS. midsumor. ] The middle of summer. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Midsummer daisy (Bot.), the oxeye daisy. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) A Eurasian mountain plant (Sedum rosea) with fleshy pink-tipped leaves and a cluster of yellow flowers.
Syn. -- rose-root, Sedum rosea. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Cf. F. rapide. See Rapid, a. ] The part of a river where the current moves with great swiftness, but without actual waterfall or cascade; sometimes called whitewater; -- usually used in the plural; as, the Lachine rapids in the St. Lawrence. For boaters on the river, it is a place that can be hazardous, with danger of capsizing or crashing into large rocks. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast,
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past. Moore. [ 1913 Webster ]