half

[ haf, hahf ]

/ hæf, hɑf /

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See synonyms for: half / halves on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural halves [havz, hahvz]. /hævz, hɑvz/.

one of two equal or approximately equal parts of a divisible whole, as an object, or unit of measure or time; a part of a whole equal or almost equal to the remainder.

a quantity or amount equal to such a part (½).

Sports. either of two equal periods of play, usually with an intermission or rest period separating them.Compare quarter (def. 10).

one of two; a part of a pair.

Informal.

half dollar.
the sum of 50 cents: Four dimes and two nickels make a half.

Baseball. either of the two units of play into which an inning is divided, the visiting team batting in the first unit and the home team batting in the second.

Football. a halfback.

British Informal.

a half-crown coin.
the sum of a half crown; two shillings, sixpence.
a half pint: He ordered a half of ale.

adjective

being one of two equal or approximately equal parts of a divisible whole: a half quart.

being half or about half of anything in degree, amount, length, etc.: at half speed; half sleeve.

partial or incomplete: half measures.

adverb

in or to the extent or measure of half.

in part; partly; incompletely: half understood.

to some extent; almost: half recovered.

SYNONYMS FOR half

13 barely, somewhat, partially; sort of.

See synonyms for half on Thesaurus.com

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In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”

Question 1 of 7

The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.

affect

effect

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Idioms for half

by half, by very much; by far: She was too talented by half for her routine role.

half again as much / many, as much as 50 percent more: This mug holds half again as much coffee as the smaller one.

half in two, Southern U.S. (chiefly Gulf States). in or into two parts; in half: Cut the cake half in two.

in half, divided into halves: The vase broke in half.

not half,

not at all; not really: His first attempts at painting are not half bad.
half (def. 20).

not the half of, a significant yet relatively minor part of something that remains to be described in full: He accused them of being responsible for the error, and that's not the half of the story.Also not half of, not half.

Origin of half

before 900; Middle English; Old English h(e)alf; cognate with German Halb,Old Norse halfr,Gothic halbs

grammar notes for half

See well¹.

Words nearby half

Hale telescope, Halevi, Halévy, Haley, Haley, Alex, half, half-a-crown, half-a-dollar, Half a loaf is better than none, half a mind, half-and-half

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for half

In four previous lessons over the past decade-plus, I’d managed umpteen wipeouts and a brief half-second of nearly standing upright.
A Maui vacation in three acts|Alex Pulaski|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
A lot of it is half-truths or really bad interpretations of information.
Twenty-Six Words Created the Internet. What Will It Take to Save It?|Stephen Engelberg|February 9, 2021|ProPublica
Google rewrites meta descriptions over half the time according to research by Michal Pecánek from Ahrefs.
Google hiding addresses in local pack and should you write meta descriptions: Tuesday’s daily brief|Carolyn Lyden|February 9, 2021|Search Engine Land
Maryland’s defense, which has been a strength recently, let Ohio State push ahead as the first half progressed.
Maryland misses a chance to boost its NCAA tournament hopes with a loss to No. 4 Ohio State|Emily Giambalvo|February 9, 2021|Washington Post

Much of the pond’s narrow southern half is within the park, banked by Mansell and Beech Mountains.
The Ultimate Acadia National Park Travel Guide|Virginia M. Wright|February 8, 2021|Outside Online
Eric Garcetti succeeded Villaraigosa and has received high marks in his first year and a half on the job.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races|David Freedlander|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
My dad was a sailor, and all through my childhood he was away half of the time at sea, and to an extent I have a similar job.
Belle & Sebastian Aren’t So Shy Anymore|James Joiner|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
As a result, training squadrons—called Formal Training Units (FTU)—are being staffed with less than half the people they need.
Exclusive: U.S. Drone Fleet at ‘Breaking Point,’ Air Force Says|Dave Majumdar|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Travel Noire fellows earned about a half million travel miles in 2014.
‘We Out Here’: Inside the New Black Travel Movement|Charlise Ferguson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Murders in the City of Angels have fallen by about half in the last 10 years: no small feat for such a big city.
America’s 2014 Murder Capital|Brandy Zadrozny|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the principal waste-product of metabolism, and constitutes about one-half of all the solids excreted—about 30 gm.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd
A small book, bound in full purple calf, lay half hidden in a nest of fine tissue paper on the dressing-table.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
Hilda, trembling at the door, more than half expected Mr. Orgreave to say: "You mean, she's invited herself."
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
All changes are to be Rang either by walking them (as the term is) or else Whole-pulls, or Half-pulls.
Tintinnalogia, or, the Art of Ringing|Richard Duckworth and Fabian Stedman
The Vine is a universal favorite, and rarely out of view; while it often seems to cover half the ground in sight.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley

British Dictionary definitions for half (1 of 2)

half

/ (hɑːf) /

noun plural halves (hɑːvz)

either of two equal or corresponding parts that together comprise a whole
a quantity equalling such a parthalf a dozen

half a pint, esp of beer

Scot a small drink of spirits, esp whisky

sport the half of the pitch regarded as belonging to one team

golf an equal score on a hole or round with an opponent

(in various games) either of two periods of play separated by an interval (the first half and second half)

a half-price ticket on a bus, train, etc

short for half-hour

short for halfpenny (def. 1)

sport short for halfback

obsolete a half-year period

better half jocular a person's wife or husband

by half by an excessive amount or to an excessive degreehe's too arrogant by half

by halves (used with a negative) without being thorough or exhaustivewe don't do things by halves

go halves (often foll by on, in, etc)

to share the expenses (of something with one other person)
to share the whole amount (of something with another person)to go halves on an orange