John was throwing an apple at Mike and I was caught in the crossfire. Meaning John wasn't intending to hit me but I was accidentally caught up in the conflict. Another example: When civilians are hurt in warfare they are usually referred to as caught in the crossfire - it's a way of saying a bystander was hurt or involved in something which they aren't a part of.

Thank you so much Bruce, your explanation was very helpful to me ! & I learned many new useful vocabs.

Hello Golden Dune: Logan gave some good examples. I might add this about the expression "Caught---In---The---Crossfire" It is a proverbialism that life and all human experience is characterized by conflict. In this context, all human experience is a kind of Crossfire. Visually, it means that people with guns are shooting at each other. Between two opposing armies for example, any civilian in the middle, between the opposing gunfire is "Caught---In---The---Crossfire". Using this therefore, can apply to almost every conflict in human experience. If I am anxious about any experience at all, it can be seen as form of "gunfire". Moreover, all human dialogue between persons, and even internal thought, when I am "thinking to myself" or "talking to myself" (called RUMINATING in psychology) be be viewed as being "Caught---In---A---Crossfire". Thus, you can add another expression to your vocabulary; "Dialectical Crossfire". Here is an example of that phrasing: "I am caught up in a dialectical crossfire, in which other people try to produce better answers than I can produce in response to the questions of those studying English in the italki forums." You can do all manner of things with such conceptions. Just reflect upon people shooting guns at each other, which is a "crossfire" or "Firing across at each other" and your imagination will produce all kinds of circumstances in which you can use the expression about a "crossfire'. Two advocates on the TV news, arguing FOR or AGAINST an idea, can be seen as engaged in a "Crossfire". .----Warm Regards, Bruce