different between muddling vs middling

English

Verb

muddling

1. present participle of muddle

Noun

muddling (plural muddlings)

1. The act of one who muddles; confusion; disorderly progress.
   • 2002, Joe R. Jones, A Grammar of Christian Faith (page xiv)

     Janzen's critiques of most of my present chapters, with his soaring imagination, unencumbered passion for theologizing, and relentless wrestling, often revealed and challenged my flat-footed muddlings […]

English

Etymology

The noun is probably from middle (noun) +? -ing; the adjective is most likely derived from the noun, and the adverb from the adjective.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?dl??/, /?m?dl???/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?d(?)l??/
• Hyphenation: mid?dl?ing

Adjective

middling (comparative more middling, superlative most middling)

1. Of intermediate or average size, position, or quality; mediocre.
2. (colloquial, regional Britain) In fairly good health.

Synonyms

• (intermediate or average in size, position, or quality): average, medium, unexceptional

Derived terms

• fair to middling
• middlings
• middling sort

Translations

Adverb

middling (comparative more middling, superlative most middling)

1. (colloquial, regional Britain) Fairly, moderately, somewhat.
   • 1811, Engelbert Kempfer [i.e., Engelbert Kaempfer]; J[ohann] G[aspar] Scheuchzer, transl., “The Division and Sub-division of the Empire of Japan into Its Several Provinces; as also of Its Revenue and Government”, in The History of Japan; republished in John Pinkerton, editor, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World; Many of which are Now First Translated into English. Digested on a New Plan, volume VII, London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, Paternoster-Row; and Cadell and Davies, in the Strand, ?OCLC, page 665:

     Iwami, otherwise Sekisju, is two days journey long, going from ?outh to north, a middling good country, producing plenty of cannib, and affording ?ome ?alt.

2. (colloquial, regional Britain) Not too badly, with modest success.

Noun

middling (plural middlings)

1. Something of intermediate or average size, position, or quality.
   1. (in the plural) Preceded by the: people of moderate means; members of the middle class.

Further reading

• Michael Quinion (created 26 May 2001, last updated 1 October 2016) , “Fair to middling”, in World Wide Words