(1)  The middle ground = a position between two opposite opinions in an argument that is acceptable to many different people.

• Both sides in this debate need to do more to establish some middle ground.
• The judge of the case chose a middle ground between harshness and leniency.

(2)  Be on the breadline = to be very poor, as if one could rely on food donations to survive.  A ‘ breadline’ is a line of people seeking food distributed by a charitable or government agency.

• During the worst-ever flood in Kerala thousands of people were on the breadline.
• They are not well-off, but they are not on the breadline.
• If I don’t make a big sale this week, my family will be on the breadline.