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: 1499-1596
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Midfield, n. Also: mide-, myd- and -feild. [ME. myd-feld (a 1400–50).] a. The middle of an open space (as a field of battle or a meadow). b. The centre division of an army.a. (1) a1500 Bk. Chess 2154.
And in mydfeild gif he [the rook] be stedit still To four partis he passis at his will 1572-5 Diurnal of Occurrents 224.
That ane man soul pasd in midfield betuix thame [two opposing forces] and waif his hatt(2) a1586 Lindsay MS. 7.
Ane herrald to cast thair gluffis in the mide feild betuix thame 1596 Dalr. I. 60/16.
Quhilkes [geese] … to sit without al feir in the mid feildb. 1533 Bell. Livy I. 181/2.
The dictator … come on the myd feild of Sabynis 1535 Stewart 18877.
The mid feildis syne enterit atthelast
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"Midfield n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 13 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/dost/midfield>
