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caught in the crossfire

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caught in the crossfire 
1. Lit. trapped between two lines of enemy fire. I was caught in the crossfire and dove into a ditch to keep from getting killed.
2. and caught in the middle Fig. caught between two arguing people or groups, making it difficult to remain neutral. Bill and Ann were arguing, and poor Bobby, their son, was caught in the middle.
See also: caught, crossfire

caught in the crossfire
to be hurt by opposing groups in a disagreement caught in the middle As politicians and educators debate school funding, it's students who are caught in the crossfire.
Related vocabulary: in the cross hairs
Etymology: based on the literal meaning of caught in the crossfire (trapped between two groups that are shooting at each other)
See also: caught, crossfire


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? References in periodicals archive
A 53-year-old driver caught in the crossfire narrowly escaped injury after his passenger-side window was blown out by one of the shooters.
Iraqi Christians, meanwhile, continue to suffer grievously, often caught in the crossfire and more recently, deliberately targetted in kidnapping and in the bombing of churches.
Doing our best" to "primarily" hit military targets or dropping leaflets on people too poor or too frightened to escape does not provide moral cover for the killing of those caught in the crossfire.
 
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