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amidst


amidst


  1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  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.