midshipman 
of the captain and other quarter-deck officers to the riv 
and to superintend the performance of tlinn. 
2. In I lie I'nited States navy, formerly, an otli- 
cer of corresponding rank and duties whose 
designation is now niirnl f<nl< t. 3. In icltth., 
a batrachoid fish, Porichthys miirijiirittttux: so 
called from the rows of round luminous bodies 
along the belly, like the buttons of a naval ca- 
det's coat. Thf Imdy is naked, and there are several of 
these conspicuous lateral lines formed of shining pearl- 
like bodies embedded In the skin. The dorsal fin has two 
spines. The Htm is eommon along the Pacific coast of the 
railed states, and reaches a length of about 15 Inches. 
Cadet midshipman. See coded, 4. Midshipman's 
butter. Same as avocado. Passed midshipman t. a 
midshipman who has paused the prescribed examination 
for promotion. 
midshipmite (mid'ship-mit), n. [< midship-8 + 
mi//-' 2 , this being substituted for man.] A very 
small midshipman. [Ludicrous.] 
Oh. I am a cook and a captain bold, 
And the mate of the " Nancy " brig. 
And a bo'sun tight, and a miilxhiptiiitr. 
W. S. OUbert, Yarn of the Nancy Bell. 
midships (mid'ships), ndff. [By apheresis from 
amidnlii/is.] In toe middle of a ship: more 
properly amidships. 
midships (mid'ships), n. pi. [< midship, a.] 
Ximt., the timbers at the broadest part of a 
vessel. 
midsomert, . An obsolete form of midsummer. 
midst 1 (midst), u. [Only in the phrase in the 
midst and its later variations and extensions, 
this phrase, early mod. E. also in the middest, 
in the mids, in ME. in the midden, in middes (or 
iiii/diles), being a later extension, with adv. gen. 
suffix -es, of earlier on midde, a midde, < AS. on 
miil/liiii, amid, the form middes, midde, niiddan 
being not orig. a noun, but an adj. in adverbial 
construction: see mid 1 , and cf. amid, amidst.] 
The middle ; an interior or central part, point, 
or position. 
Quer lokes all lures to the last ende. 
What u nil falle of the first furthe to the middis. 
Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.X 1. 2242. 
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him In 
the midst of them. Mat. xviii. 2. 
The king in the middest of his play strooke with a tennis 
ball. Coryat, Crudities, I. 133. 
Whole we call that, and perfect, which hath a beginning, 
a mid'st, and an end. B. Jonton, Discoveries. 
In the nii'l'i of rigour I would beseech ye to think of 
mercy. Milton, Church-Government, ii., Concl. 
In my midst Of, in the midst of my ... [Rare.) 
And in my midst of sorrow and heart-grief 
To show them feata. Milton, S. A., 1. 1338. 
In our, your, their midst, in the midst of us, you, 
them. These phrases have been objected to by some 
writers on English, but with no good reason. 
/ their midst a form was seen. Montgomery. 
That in their midst, in our midst, &c. , are at odds with the 
" genius ' of our language, is an assertion somewhat adven- 
turous. As concerns a substantive, its subjective geni- 
tive, universally, and its objective genitive, very often, 
may be expressed prepositively. Love of God, intending 
' love emanating from God,' may be exchanged for Ood's 
love : but we also say, Plato's commentators, and the urorld's 
end. To come to possessive pronouns, we have no scru- 
ples about the objective do his pleasure, ring thy praise, in 
my absence, on your account, to their discredit, in our de- 
spite, his equal, Ac.. Ac.; and with these phrases in our 
midst is rigidly comparable. . . . With reference to analo- 
gical principles in our midst is altogether irreproachable. 
F. flott, Mod. Eng., p. 50. 
=Syu. Amidst, In the midst qf, etc. (see amonij); Center, 
etc. Hee middle. 
midst 1 (midst), adv. [< midsft, n., itself orig. 
an adv., in connection with a prep.] In the 
middle. 
On earth, join all ye creatures to extol 
Him first, him last, him midst, and without end. 
Milton, P. L., T. 166. 
midst 2 (midst), prep. [By apheresis from 
amidjtt.] Amidst. 
They left me midst my enemies. 
SAot., IHen. VI., 1. 2. 24. 
before the seat supreme ; from whence a voice, 
From midst a golden cloud, . . . was heard. 
Milton, P. L., vl. 28. 
midstream (mid'strem), n. The middle of the 
stream. 
Tbe midstream 's his, I, creeping by the side, 
Am shouldered off by his impetuous tide. 
Dryden, Tyrannic Love, II. 1. 
mid-styled (mid'stild), a. Having the style in- 
termediate in length between the short-styled 
and long-styled forms : applied to heterostyled 
triraorpuio flowers. 
midsummer (mid'sum'er), . [< ME. >i>/.i/- 
er, < AS. iiiid.tiiiHor, middesitmor (= MLG. mitl- 
ilriixiHiii'r = (i. miltxitmrner = Ici'l. iidhsumar = 
Sw. midyoniHiar = Dan. niidxt>mnn'r), < mid, mid. 
+ Humor, summer.] The middle of summer; 
the period of the summer solstice, about the 
8757 
I'Ui of June (astronomically tli<> Beginning of 
summer), because in Great Britain summer in 
considered HS lx'j;iiiiiiii(,' with MHV ; specifical- 
ly, midsummer day, June 24th. Hee midsummer 
it'll/, below. On midsummer eve, or the eve of the feast 
of St. John Baptist (June 241 h >, It was the custom In former 
times to kindle fires (called St. John's fires) upon hills In 
celebration of the summer solstice. 
As full of spirit as the month of May, 
And gorgeous as the sun at midsummer. 
SlMlc., 1 Hen. IV., iv. L 104. 
" < in Midsummer next," the dam'sel said, 
" Which is June the twenty-four." 
Itolriit Uood and the Stranger (Child's Ballads, V. 412). 
Midsummer alet, the feast of midsummer day. 
And now, next Midsummer ale, I may serve for a fool. 
Antiquary, Old Plays, X. 91. (Hares.) 
Midsummer daisy. Same a* oxeye daisy (which Me, 
under daisy). Midsummer day, the feast of the nativity 
ofSt. John the Baptist (June 24th). Various superstitious 
practices and wild festivities were long observed on this 
occasion. Midsummer madness, (a) The wild and 
Indecorous methods of celebrating midsummer eve for- 
merly common in Europe, (b) Lunacy. 
Why, this U very midsummer madness. 
Shak., T. N., 111. I. 81. 
midsummer-men (mid'sum'er-men). n. The 
livelong, Sedum Telephium : said to have been 
used by girls on midsummer eve to test their 
lovers' fidelity. [Local, Eng.] 
midsummery'(mid ' sum ' er-i), a. [< midsum- 
mer + -y 1 .] Of or pertaining to midsummer. 
A species of golden-rod with a midsummery smell. 
The Century, XXIX. 1O8. 
mid-superior (mid-su-pe'ri-or), ii. In Scots law, 
one who is superior to those below him and 
vassal to those above him. Imp. Diet. 
Midterraneant (mid-te-ra'ne-an), a. [< mid' 1 
+ terraueaii; substituted for "Mediterranean.] 
Same as Mediterranean. 
North-ward [bounded] with narrow Mid-terranean Sea, 
Which from rich Europe parts poor Africa. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, II., The Colonies. 
midveln (mid'van), . [< mid 1 + vein.] In 
hot., same as costa. See nerratioti. 
Leaves [of Musci] 3- to many- (sometimes 2-) ranked, 
usually with a midvein. 
Underwood, Bull. 111. State Laboratory, IL 12. 
midwardt (mid'ward), a. and n. [< ME. mid- 
ward, < AS. middeweard, toward the middle, < 
midde, middle, + -weard, E. -irard.] I. a. Sit- 
uated in or toward the middle. 
II. n. The middle part. 
This chanon took his cole, with harde grace, 
And leyde it aboven on the midicard 
Of the crosselet. 
Chaucer, Canon's Yeoman's Tale, 1. 179. 
He standing at the hede in the mydeicarde of the saide 
hers. Roolte of Precedence (E. E. T. S., extra ser.X 1. 30. 
midwardt (mid'ward), nrfr. [< midicarri, a.] In 
or toward the middle. 
mid-watch (mid' woch), M. Naut.: (n) The pe- 
riod of time from midnight to 4 A. M. (b) The 
officers and men on duty during that time. See 
watch. 
midway (mid'wa), . and a. [< ME. mydwaye, 
mydweye = D. midweg = MLG. midtcech (cf. G. 
niittelweg = Sw. medelrdg = Dan. middeh-ej) ; < 
mid 1 + way.] I. n. 1. The middle; the midst. 
The He of Crete Is right in the myd wcye. 
Mandeville, Travels, p. 31. 
O pity and shame, that they who to live well 
Enter'd so fair should turn aside to tread 
Paths indirect, or in the mid way faint! 
Milton, P. L., xi. 681. 
2. A middle way or manner ; a mean or mid- 
dle course between extremes. 
No midway 
Twixt these extremes at all. 
ShaJc., A. and ('.. III. 4. 18. 
n. n. Being in the middle of the way or dis- 
tance; middle. 
The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air, 
show scarce so gross as beetles. Shot., Lear, iv. 6. IS. 
midway (mid'wa), adv. [= MLG. midiceghe, 
miiliceges = Dan. midtvejs; from the noun.] 
In the middle of the way or distance ; half-way. 
He ... will to-morrow with his trumpet call, 
Midway between your tents and walls of Troy, 
To rouse a Grecian that is true In love. 
Shak., T. and C., 1. 8. 278. 
She saw him rashly spring, 
And midway up in danger cling. 
Moore, Lalla Rookh, Fire-worshippers. 
midwicket(mid'wik'et), . In cricket, a fielder 
who stands nearly abreast the bowler, at some 
distance to the right or left. (See diagram un- 
der cricket.) Midwicket on or mid-on stands to 
the left of the batsman who is striking, mid- 
irii-kft n/ or mill-tiff to his right. 
miff 
midwife < mid' wit'), ji.; ]il. niiiln if - (-wivz). [< 
M K. niiilirifi , iiii/</ii iifi . miilinf, mi/ilii i/l. mi/ili n ijt , 
innliriif, , niedncife, prob. < AS. *wnln 11 i not re- 
corded), < mid, with, + trif, wife, woman ; cf. 8p. 
Pg. comadre, a midwife. < eon. < L. cum, with, 
+ madre, < L. mater, mother; G. beifrau, a mid- 
wife's assistant. Cf. also D. mcdekelpi-n, assist, 
< mede, with, + helpen, help; G. mithelfer, an 
assistant, < mil, with, + heifer, helper. Owing 
to the disappearance of the prep, mid, this ele- 
ment in midwife has not been commonly under- 
stood, and an etymology based on the ME. form 
medewif, taken as < mede, E. meed, reward, + 
ict/e. woman (as if 'a woman who serves for 
pay'), has been in favor. This etymology, 
whicli is impossible for other reasons, is not 
supported even by the ME. form medeicife, 
which is explainable as a mere variant spell- 
ing of iiniiirii'i .\ A woman who assists women 
in childbirth. 
The midwife wonder'd, and the women cried 
"O, Jesus bless us, he Is born with teeth ! " 
Hen. VI.,v. 6. 74. 
Midwife toad, the obstetrical toad or nurse-frog, Alytet 
ukstetricans. See Alytet. 
midwife, midwive (mid'wif, -wiv), c.; pret. and 
pp. midwijed, midwired, ppr. midtcifing, midtcir- 
i</. I. intrans. To perform the office of mid- 
wife. 
II. trans. 1. To assist in childbirth. 
Without this ubiquity, how could she be seen at harvest, 
wiping the faces of reaping monks, whilst she Is elsewhere 
burning villages, or in a rich abbey midwiciiuj an abbess'.' 
Bred itt, Haul and Samuel at Endor(1674\ p. 86. (Latham.) 
2. To aid in bringing into being by acting the 
part of a midwife ; assist in bringing to light. 
If It be a Dream, you shall be the Interpreters, or mill- 
wife it into the World. 
-V Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 193. 
midwifery (mid'wif-ri or mid'wif-ri), . [< 
midwife + -ry.] 1. The practice of obstetrics; 
the practice of assisting women in childbirth. 
A general practitioner, In large midwifery practice. 
0. W. Holmes, Med. Essays, p. 137. 
2. Assistance at childbirth or in production. 
Hasty fruits and too ambitious flowers, 
Scorning the midwifery of ripening showers. 
Stepney, To the Earl of Carlisle. 
midwifish (mid'wi-fish), a. [< midicife + -ish.] 
Like a midwife; pertaining to a midwife, or to 
the duties of a midwife. 
midwinter (mid'win'ter), ?i. [< ME. midtcinter, 
mi/dirynter, < AS. midwinter, middetcinter (= 
OFries. midwinter = MLG. midwinter, medeuin- 
ter = G. mittwinter = Sw. Dan. midrinter), < 
mid, mid, -I- winter, winter.] The middle or 
depth of winter; the usual time of greatest win- 
ter cold ; specifically, in English literature (win- 
ter being reckoned from the 1st of November in 
Great Britain), the period of the winte* solstice, 
the 21st or 22d of December (which is astronom- 
ically the beginning of winter). 
miet, r. t. [< ME. mien, myen, < OF. mirr, < ML. 
"micare, pound into pieces, crumb, < L. mica, a 
crumb: seejwicn 1 .] To pound in to small pieces; 
crumb; crumble. Catn. Aug., p. 239. 
miel de palma. [Sp. : see melft, dc*. palm'*.] 
Palm-honey. See coquito. 
mien (men), . [Formerly also mein, meane, 
meen, mine ; = MD. mijne, D. mine = G. miene = 
Sw. min = Dan. mine, < F. mine, air, look, mien, 
< It. mina, pit. menu, behavior, carriage, de- 
portment, mien, < menare, < ML. minare, also 
menare, conduct, lead, carry, follow up, drive, 
< L. minari, threaten: see menace and mt'ne 2 .] 
A person's air, manner, or expression of coun- 
tenance; look; bearing; appearance; carriage. 
Her rare demcanure, which him seemed 
So farre the meat* of shepheards to ext-ell. 
Spenser, F. <J., VI. Ix. 11. 
No persons must appear here in the European dress: 
and as a Christian is known by his mein, no strangers dare 
go out of the streets they are used to frequent. 
Pocockt, Description of the East, I. 19. 
The elder dame 
Was of majestic mien, with calm dark eyes. 
Bryant, Tale of Clondland. 
= SyTL Aspect, demeanor, deportment, port. 
miert, . [< ME. miere, myere, mioiir, myovr, 
< OF. miur, mieur, < ML. tnieatorium, a pestle, 
< * micare, pound: see w if.] An instrument for 
breaking or pounding anything; a pestle. 
mievet, r. An obsolete variant of more. 
miff (mif), M. and a. [Cf. LG. (T) or G. dial. 
muff, sullenness, G. muff, mustiness, muffeti, 
sulk, pout: see HWf*.] I. . A fit of petulant 
displeasure ; a feeling of slight anger or resent- 
ment. [Colloq.] 
