Midway Meaning
/mɪdweɪ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe middle; the midst.
nounA middle way or manner; a mean or middle path between extremes.
Sentence Examples
Midway through our trip we realized that we hadn't brought enough money.
My son had to use the bathroom midway through the movie.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
He rested ____ in the race, when he had covered half the distance.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They decided to stop for a quick lunch ____ through their long journey across the country to visit their distant family members.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English mydwaye, mydweye, from Old English midweġ (“midway”), equivalent to mid- + way. Cognate with Dutch midweg (“midway”), Middle Low German midwech (“midway”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Prayes, and distroyes the prayer, no midway
Twixt these extreames at all."
— c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv]:
"Paths indirect, or in the midway faint."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"Originally scheduled to come up mid-way through the alphabetically-ordered agenda by being listed as "Lesbianism," the issue was pushed back to 23 (out of 26 resolutions) with the renaming of it as "Sexual Preference.""
— 1977 December 10, Leslie Cagan, “IWY: Lesbians at Houston and Beyond”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 23, page 3:
"It shell-shocked the home crowd, who quickly demanded a response, which came midway through the half and in emphatic fashion."
— 2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2 - 2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He rested ____ in the race, when he had covered half the distance.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
They decided to stop for a quick lunch ____ through their long journey across the country to visit their distant family members.