HALF

half

(adjective) consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity; “a half chicken”; “lasted a half hour”

half

(adjective) (of siblings) related through one parent only; “a half brother”; “half sister”

half

(adjective) partial; “gave me a half smile”; “he did only a half job”

half

(adverb) partially or to the extent of a half; “he was half hidden by the bushes”

half, one-half

(noun) one of two equal parts of a divisible whole; “half a loaf”; “half an hour”; “a century and one half”

half

(noun) one of two divisions into which some games or performances are divided: the two divisions are separated by an interval

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Adjective

half (not comparable)

Consisting of a half (1/2, 50%).

Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect.

(of a sibling) Having one parent (rather than two) in common.

(rare, of a relative other than a sibling) Related through one common grandparent or ancestor rather than two.

Usage notes

• (consisting of a moiety, or half): The adjective and noun are often united to form a compound.

Synonyms

• (consisting of a moiety, or half): hemi-, semi-, demi-

Adverb

half (not comparable)

In two equal parts or to an equal degree.

In some part approximating a half.

Partially; imperfectly.

Noun

half (plural halves)

One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.

(sports) One of the two opposite parts of the playing field of various sports, in which each starts the game.

Half of a standard measure; frequently used (British) for half a pint of beer or cider.

(preceded by “a” or a number) The fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2.

(obsolete) Part; side; behalf.

Any of the three terms at Eton College, for Michaelmas, Lent, and summer.

(slang) A half sibling.

(UK, archaic) A child ticket.

Synonyms

• (fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2): ½

Verb

half (third-person singular simple present halves, present participle halving, simple past and past participle halved)

(transitive, obsolete) To halve.

Synonyms

• dimidiate; see also bisect

Preposition

half

(UK, Ireland) A half-hour after, thirty minutes after (used with the number of the hour).

Source: Wiktionary

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Half, a. Etym: [AS. healf, half, half; as a noun, half, side, part; akin to OS., OFries., & D. half, G. halb, Sw. half, Dan. halv, Icel. halfr, Goth. halbs. Cf. Halve, Behalf.]

1. Consisting of a moiety, or half; as, a half bushel; a half hour; a half dollar; a half view.

Note: The adjective and noun are often united to form a compound.

2. Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect; as, a half dream; half knowledge. Assumed from thence a half consent. Tennyson. Half ape (Zoöl.), a lemur.

– Half back. (Football) See under 2d Back.

– Half bent, the first notch, for the sear point to enter, in the tumbler of a gunlock; the halfcock notch.

– Half binding, a style of bookbinding in which only the back and corners are in leather.

– Half boarder, one who boards in part; specifically, a scholar at a boarding school who takes dinner only.

– Half-breadth plan (Shipbuilding), a horizontal plan of the half a vessel, divided lengthwise, showing the lines.

– Half cadence (Mus.), a cadence on the dominant.

– Half cap, a slight salute with the cap. [Obs.] Shak.

– A half cock, the position of the cock of a gun when retained by the first notch.

– Half hitch, a sailor's knot in a rope; half of a clove hitch.

– Half hose, short stockings; socks.

– Half measure, an imperfect or weak line of action.

– Half note (Mus.), a minim, one half of a semibreve.

– Half pay, half of the wages or salary; reduced pay; as, an officer on half pay.

– Half price, half the ordinary price; or a price much reduced.

– Half round. (a) (Arch.) A molding of semicircular section. (b) (Mech.) Having one side flat and the other rounded; -- said of a file.

– Half shift (Mus.), a position of the hand, between the open position and the first shift, in playing on the violin and kindred instruments. See Shift.

– Half step (Mus.), a semitone; the smallest difference of pitch or interval, used in music.

– Half tide, the time or state of the tide equally distant from ebb and flood.

– Half time, half the ordinary time for work or attendance; as, the half-time system.

– Half tint (Fine Arts), a middle or intermediate tint, as in drawing or painting. See Demitint.

– Half truth, a statement only partially true, or which gives only a part of the truth. Mrs. Browning.

– Half year, the space of six moths; one term of a school when there are two terms in a year.

Half, adv.

Definition: In an equal part or degree; in some paas, half-colored, half done, half-hearted, half persuaded, half conscious. "Half loth and half consenting." Dryden. Their children spoke halfin the speech of Ashdod. Neh. xiii. 24

Half, n.; pl. Halves. Etym: [AS. healf. See Half, a.]

1. Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] Wyclif. The four halves of the house. Chaucer.

2. One of two equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided; -- sometimes followed by of; as, a half of an apple. Not half his riches known, and yet despised. Milton. A friendship so complete Portioned in halves between us. Tennyson. Better half. See under Better.

– In half, in two; an expression sometimes used improperly instead of in or into halves; as, to cut in half. [Colloq.] Dickens.

– In, or On, one's half, in one's behalf; on one's part. [Obs.] -- To cry halves, to claim an equal share with another.

– To go halves, to share equally between two.

Half, v. t.

Definition: To halve. [Obs.] See Halve. Sir H. Wotton.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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