halve

[ hav, hahv ]

/ hæv, hɑv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR halve ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), halved, halv·ing.

to divide into two equal parts.

to share equally: to halve one's rations with a stranger.

to reduce to half.

Golf. to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent.

RELATED WORDS

bisect

Nearby words

haltom city, halton, halton hills, halutz, halvah, halve, halvers, halves, halyard, halysites, halévy

Idioms

halve together, to join (two pieces of wood) by cutting from one, at the place of joining, a portion fitting to that left solid in the other.

Origin of halve

1250–1300; Middle English halven, derivative of half

Related formsun·halved, adjective

Can be confusedhalve have

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for halve

The company is shedding 5,400 of its 63,500 employees and taking a number of charges that will halve its quarterly profits.
American Express Charges Backward, Laying Off 5,400|Daniel Gross|January 11, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Halve that again, just because the numbers seem so absurd, and vampires are worth $62.5 million each October.
Gross Vampire Product|Duff McDonald|November 18, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Cut and halve the ends of plate the same length as sill, and nail to corner posts.
Carpentry and Woodwork|Edwin W. Foster
Now, do 'ee take the flask; halve it, and gi'e me the rest;—or take it all, if thee dost veel qualmish.
Three Courses and a Dessert|Anonymous

Do you think I would go through this labour if you were not to halve the success?
My Novel, Complete|Edward Bulwer-Lytton
It didn't so much matter that he was here to halve my triumph.
Seven Men|Max Beerbohm
Come judge ye between us;Halve ye the hoardAs seems to you just!
The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie|Richard Wagner

British Dictionary definitions for halve

halve

/ (hɑːv) /

verb (tr)

to divide into two approximately equal parts

to share equally

to reduce by half, as by cutting

golf to take the same number of strokes on (a hole or round) as one's opponent

Word Origin for halve

Old English hielfan; related to Middle High German helben; see half

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for halve

halve

c.1200, halfen "to divide in halves;" see half. Meaning "to reduce by half" is from c.1400. Related: Halved; halving.