Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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MIDDLIN, adj., adv. Also mid(d)lin(g), midlen; mydling, mydlying.

I. adj. 1. Of medium size, stature, class or quality. Orig. Sc. but adopted by Eng. in 17th c. Hence middling-sized, id. (Sc. 1903 E.D.D.).Ags. 1702 A. J. Warden Burgh Laws Dundee (1872) 457:
Her weeklie task is twentie five lang midlen bonets.Inv. 1717 Steuart Letter Bk. (S.H.S.) 52:
From the nett proceeds you are to shipp for My Acct. and risque 25 shipp pound best midlin [iron].Sc. 1765 Caled. Mercury (28 Sept.) 463:
Hugh Bell Brewer, Pleasants, Edinburgh, proposes to make a Middling Kind of Beer.Sc. 1766 Caled. Mercury (27 Oct.) 515:
Few cattle sold, and those at middling prices.Lnk. a.1779 D. Graham Writings (1883) II. 209:
Ye're unco little, and I'm o'er muckle, and gin ye and I war ance cairded thro' ither, we may get bonny weans o' a midlen mak.Ags. 1799 J. M. Beatts Hist. Dundee (1878) 110:
A linsey winsey clad the middling people.Sc. 1831 J. Sinclair Corresp. II. 269:
Being able to carry a soldier of middling size in each hand, when his arms were extended.Kcb. 1893 Crockett Stickit Minister 243:
If folk . . . had eneuch gumption to gie ye guid linen instead o' middlin silk.Sc. 1899 Mont.-Fleming 102:
"Mydlying Mane", a happy mean.

2. Fair, indifferent, reasonable, tolerable, not too bad or good, "so-so", the degree of approval or disapproval varying with the context, freq. applied to a state of health. Gen.Sc.Sc. 1827 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) II. 30:
The author thinks himsel a great wut . . . but he's only middlin.Abd. 1865 G. Macdonald Alec Forbes lxxix.:
Whaur got ye a' that dub, sir? The roads is middlin' the day.Uls. c.1880 W. G. Lyttle Paddy McQuillan 102:
"Hoo's a' wi' ye this wather?" "Middlin', thank ye."Sh. 1896 J. Burgess Lowra Biglan 41:
"What sort of girl is that Smith one?" . . . "O, shö's kind o' middlin."Gsw. 1904 H. Foulis Erchie i.:
At ither times ye're like the rest o' us, and that's gey middlin'.Abd. 1954 Huntly Express (29 Oct.):
A hard cold high wind would help stuff stacked in what farmers call "midlin" order.

Hence adv. middlingly, moderately, tolerably. Also in n.Eng. dial.Ayr. 1891 H. Johnston Kilmallie I. viii.:
Even then she was but middlingly pleased.

II. adv. Also in form mid(d)lins (Sc. 1818 Sawers). Reasonably, tolerably, fairly, quite. Gen.Sc.Gall. 1814 W. Nicholson Tales 10:
"How's a' your fouk at hame?" quo she; "They're middling weel", again quo he.Sc. 1831 Wilson Noctes Amb. (1855) III. 229:
"You have explained your meaning well, sir." "Middlin."Dmf. 1831 R. Shennan Tales 81:
There was some meikle mares, and some middling bonny.Abd. 1871 W. Alexander Johnny Gibb vii.:
Ay, it was middlin' muckle.Sc. 1883 Fettesian VI. 56:
Once or twice the skipper came down to see the time, and "only middlins" was his not inspiriting answer to our question as to how we were getting on.Sh. 1886 J. Burgess Sketches 44:
They all gave him a middling wide berth.Ayr. 1887 J. Service Dr. Duguid 26:
Jenny Whalbart and her man were middlin ticht o' the grup.Ags. 1888 Barrie Auld Licht Idylls ii.:
The middling good folk who did not go to church counted those who did.Sc. 1951 Scots Mag. (Dec.) 224:
Angus would be middling young at the time, och, about forty maybe.