Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Medium"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Medium \Me"di*um\, n.; pl. L. {Media}, {E}. {Mediums}. [L.
medium the middle, fr. medius middle. See {Mid}, and cf.
{Medius}.]
1. That which lies in the middle, or between other things;
intervening body or quantity. Hence, specifically:
(a) Middle place or degree; mean.

The just medium . . . lies between pride and
abjection. --L'Estrange.
(b) (Math.) See {Mean}.
(c) (Logic) The mean or middle term of a syllogism; that
by which the extremes are brought into connection.

2. A substance through which an effect is transmitted from
one thing to another; as, air is the common medium of
sound. Hence: The condition upon which any event or action
occurs; necessary means of motion or action; that through
or by which anything is accomplished, conveyed, or carried
on; specifically, in animal magnetism, spiritualism, etc.,
a person through whom the action of another being is said
to be manifested and transmitted.

Whether any other liquors, being made mediums, cause
a diversity of sound from water, it may be tried.
--Bacon.

I must bring together All these extremes; and must
remove all mediums. --Denham.

3. An average. [R.]

A medium of six years of war, and six years of
peace. --Burke.

4. A trade name for printing and writing paper of certain
sizes. See {Paper}.

5. (Paint.) The liquid vehicle with which dry colors are
ground and prepared for application.

{Circulating medium}, a current medium of exchange, whether
coin, bank notes, or government notes.

{Ethereal medium} (Physics), the ether.

{Medium of exchange}, that which is used for effecting an
exchange of commodities -- money or current
representatives of money.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Medium \Me"di*um\, a.
Having a middle position or degree; mean; intermediate;
medial; as, a horse of medium size; a decoction of medium
strength.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

medium
adj 1: around the middle of a scale of evaluation of physical
measures; "an orange of average size"; "intermediate
capacity"; "a plane with intermediate range"; "medium
bombers" [syn: {average}, {intermediate}]
2: (of meat) cooked until there is just a little pink meat
inside
n 1: a means or instrumentality for communicating
2: the surrounding environment; "fish require an aqueous
medium"
3: an intervening substance through which signals can travel as
a means for communication
4: (bacteriology) a nutrient substance (solid or liquid) that
is used to cultivate micro-organisms [syn: {culture medium}]
5: an intervening substance through which something is
achieved; "the dissolving medium is called a solvent"
6: a liquid with which pigment is mixed by a painter
7: (biology) a substance in which specimens are preserved or
displayed
8: a state that is intermediate between extremes; a middle
position; "a happy medium"
9: someone who serves as an intermediary between the living and
the dead; "he consulted several mediums" [syn: {spiritualist}]
10: an occupation for which you are especially well suited; "in
law he found his true metier" [syn: {metier}]


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