middle (redirected from middling)

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

(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

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 also: ground

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

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

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caught in the middle

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

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.

(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