monkey in the middle

/mˈʌnkɪ ɪnðə mˈɪdəl/

/mˈʌnki ɪnðə mˈɪdəl/

a children's game in which two players throw a ball at each other in a manner that prevents the third player from catching the ball

a person who is in the middle of two fighting or arguing sides

Examples

1. I feel like the monkey in the middle of this argument.

2. Previously estate agents ended up as a monkey in the middle between landlord and tenant.

3. - We're playing, we're playing monkey in the middle.

4. In the world of what we do I always say I'm the monkey in the middle.