Adjacent Words

Amid definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AMID'
AMIDST', prep. [L. medius. See Middle and Midst.]
1. In the midst or middle.
2. Among; mingled with; as, a shepherd amidst his flock.
3. Surrounded, encompassed, or enveloped with; as, amidst the shade; amid the waves. Amid is used mostly in poetry.
AMID'-SHIPS, in marine language, the middle of a ship, with regard to her length and breadth.

Merriam Webster's

or amidst preposition Etymology: amid from Middle English amidde, from Old English onmiddan, from on + middan, dative of midde mid; amidst from Middle English amiddes, from amidde + -es -s Date: before 12th century 1. in or into the middle of ; surrounded by ; among <amid the crowd> 2. a. during <amid the fighting> b. with the accompaniment of <resigned amid rumors of misconduct>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

prep. (also amidst) 1 in the middle of. 2 in the course of. Etymology: ME amidde(s) f. OE on ON + MID(1)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Amid A*mid", prep. See Amidst.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Amidst A*midst", Amid A*mid", 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. But rather famish them amid their plenty. --Shak. Syn: Amidst, Among. Usage: 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, because he was then considered as one of the angels. But when the poet adds, From amidst them forth he passed, we have rather the idea of the angels as a collective body. Those squalid cabins and uncleared woods amidst which he was born. --Macaulay.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English. Note: The form 'amidst' is also used, but is more literary. 1. If something happens amid noises or events of some kind, it happens while the other things are happening. A senior leader cancelled a trip to Britain yesterday amid growing signs of a possible political crisis... PREP 2. If something is amid other things, it is surrounded by them. (LITERARY) PREP

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

prep.; (also amidst) 1. Among (without being part of), amongst, in the midst of, in the middle of, surrounded by. 2. Jointly, together, some of.

Dictionary of Ro

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