half

[ haf, hahf ]

/ hæf, hɑf /

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

QUIZZES

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We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

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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.

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

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