middle

*in the middle of nowhere

Fig. in a very remote place. (*Typically: be ~; drive [into] ~; put someone or something [into] ~.) To get to my house, you have to drive into the middle of nowhere. We found a nice place to eat, but it's out in the middle of nowhere.

See also: nowhere

change horses in midstream and change horses in the middle of the stream

Fig. to make major changes in an activity that has already begun; to choose someone or something else after it is too late. (Alludes to someone trying to move from one horse to another while crossing a stream.) I'm already baking a cherry pie. I can't bake an apple pie. It's too late to change horses in the middle of the stream. The house is half-built. It's too late to hire a different architect. You can't change horses in midstream. Jane: I've written a rough draft of my research paper, but the topic doesn't interest me as much as I thought. Maybe I ought to pick a different one. Jill: Don't change horses in midstream.

See also: change, horse

middle ground

a position of compromise; a state of thinking where two opposing parties can discuss an issue politely and productively. If we could only reach a middle ground on this issue, things wouldn't be so confrontational.

See also: ground

middle of nowhere

a very isolated place. I don't want to stay out here in the middle of nowhere. I was stranded in the middle of nowhere for an hour with a flat tire.

See also: nowhere

smack (dab) in the middle

exactly in the middle. I came in smack dab in the middle of the play. I want a piece that is not too big and not too small—just smack in the middle.

See also: smack

---

(out) in the middle of nowhere

in a place that is far away from where most people live I'll need a map to find that pub - it's out in the middle of nowhere, apparently.

See also: nowhere

a middle-aged spread

the fat area around the waist that a lot of people get as they grow older A dark blue shirt worn outside his trousers concealed the middle-aged spread.

See also: spread

be caught in the middle

to be in a difficult situation because two people who you know well are arguing and both of them criticize each other to you My mother and sister are always arguing and I find myself caught in the middle.

See also: caught

middle-of-the-road 

1. not extreme politically Neither party is exactly radical - they're both fairly middle-of-the-road.

2. entertainment that is middle-of-the-road is ordinary and acceptable to most people but it is not exciting or special in any way Most of the music they play is pretty middle-of-the-road.

piggy in the middle  (British & Australian)

someone who is between two people or groups who are arguing but who does not want to agree with either of them It's awful. They argue the whole time and I always end up as piggy in the middle.

play both ends against the middle  (American informal)

to try to make two people or groups compete with each other in order to get an advantage for yourself He's playing both ends against the middle - telling two prospective employers that the other has offered a higher salary.

See also: against, both, end, play

the middle ground

something that two people or groups that are arguing can agree about The lawyer will then attempt to find the middle ground between the two parties.

See be caught in the middle

See also: ground

---

(out) in the middle of nowhere

in a place that is far away from where most people live We spent a wonderful year living on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

See also: nowhere

caught in the middle

to experience the influence of opposing groups in a disagreement caught in the crossfire My mother and sister are always yelling at each other, and I find myself caught in the middle.

Related vocabulary: in the cross hairs

See also: caught

in the middle of something/doing something

busy doing something We were in the middle of supper when we heard the news. When she called, I was in the middle of giving the baby a bath.