A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)
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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1399-1400, 1456-1661
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Midway, n., a. and adv. Also: myd-, mydde- and -vay(e. [ME. mydwaye, midwei, OE. midweᵹ: cf. MDu. middewech.]
1. n. The middle of the way or distance, the half-way. b. fig.Chiefly, in the midway, half-way. a1400 Legends of the Saints xxx. 521.
Theodorus … wes as ware the mydde way Be-twene the ton & the abbay — 1560 Rolland Seven Sages 10143.
In the midway [they] King Alexander culd meit 1615 Melrose P. 603. 1661 Proceedings of Society of Antiquaries XXII. 250.
Petterden in the midway betwixt Forfar and Dondieb. 1456 Hay II. 82/11.
That he … evin pais the balaunce in the midway be his witt, discrecioun and prudence c1490 Irland Asl. MS. I. 38/4.
Nother vsand ourmekle na our litill bot in the mydway c1490 Ib. II. 8/29. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 53/19.
It standis in the myd vay betuix the caldnes of Saturn & the byrnand heyt that Mars induris
2. A middle path. b. fig. A middle course. 1513 Doug. vi. ii. 112.
Al the myd way is wildirnes onplayn Or wilsum forestb. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 377.
Thus wes ane midway devisit be quhilk [etc.] 1535 Stewart 60671. 1549 Complaynte of Scotland 101/2.
Ve think it bettir to tak ane myd vaye betuix vs and them to saif their lyiffis 1560 Cal. Sc. P. I. 541. 1563 Bk. Univ. Kirk I. 44.
[That] there was a mid-way betwixt papistrie and our religion 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 35.
Thair is na mid way left bot owther to do or suffer
3. adj. a. Intermediate, medium, moderate. b. Half and half, ‘lukewarm’.a. 1573 Tyrie in Cath. Tr. 3/5.
Als conuenient to begyle the simple readar … as to trauel men of good ingyne and midway knawlage 1596 Dalr. I. 14/8.
Thay mekle gret horse … ar [not] haldne sa nobil … as horse of midway stature 1596 Ib. 54/3.
Monesteris of meane or midway rentis 1596 Ib. II. 43/34. 1622 Scot Course of Conformity 112.
Kneeling in … receiving the communion is not a gesture indifferent nor … midwayb. 1637 Rutherford Lett. (1891) 376.
Men's midway, cold and wise courses in godliness
4. adv. a. Half-way. b. Moderately, tolerably. 1596 Dalr. I. 33/21.
Gif … I speik ony thing of the schirrefdome of Perth or of Stratherne and Fife ȝe have the best parte of the realme midway 1596 Ib. 117/12.
Na man quha leiues bot midway temperat in the tounes of Scotland is nocht sune rich
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"Midway n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 14 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/midway>
