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general::
1. Also, in the midst of. During, while engaged in, as in He stopped him in the middle of his speech, or I'm in the midst of calculating my income tax. The first expression dates from about 1600, the second from about 1500. Also see IN THE MIDST. 2. in the middle of nowhere. In a very remote location, as in We found a great little hotel, out in the middle of nowhere. [Early 1900s]
American Heritage Idioms