Middlesome

adj, adv

adj, adv ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Characterised or marked by moderation; tending toward the middle; intermediate; middling; average rare

    "The Necessity of having one to assist him in measuring his Lines with the Chain, as oft as he would practise his Skill, or get more; and the exposing of his Unreadiness to the View of middlesome People, while he is yet raw and unexperienc'd, as every one must needs be at first: Both which may in a good measure be avoided by this easy Knack."

Adverb
  1. 1
    In a middlesome manner; moderately rare

    "'[...] Don't drink too little and don't drink too much – drink middlesome.'"

Example

More examples

"The Necessity of having one to assist him in measuring his Lines with the Chain, as oft as he would practise his Skill, or get more; and the exposing of his Unreadiness to the View of middlesome People, while he is yet raw and unexperienc'd, as every one must needs be at first: Both which may in a good measure be avoided by this easy Knack."

Etymology

From middle + -some.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.