halve

[ hav, hahv ]

/ hæv, hɑv /

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See synonyms for: halve / halves 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.

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Idioms about halve

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

OTHER WORDS FROM halve

un·halved, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH halve

halve , have

Words nearby halve

Haltom City, Halton, Halton Hills, halutz, halvah, halve, halvers, halves, halyard, Halysites, ham

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use halve in a sentence

By the time the image was released last week, Tianwen-1 had halved the distance to Mars and is now preparing to enter orbit.
Check out the first images of Mars from China’s Tianwen-1 probe|Erin Fennessy|February 10, 2021|Popular-Science
It halved the number of people who may gather in public spaces to five.
Denmark is sequencing all coronavirus samples and has an alarming view of the U.K. variant|Michael Birnbaum, Martin Selsoe Sorensen|January 22, 2021|Washington Post
This fall, Amtrak halved the Crescent’s daily service and that of its other long-distance routes to three trips a week, citing “the long-term impact of covid-19 on ridership.”
Aboard Amtrak’s Crescent, surprising comfort and welcome seclusion on a slow train to Mississippi|Scott Butterworth|January 1, 2021|Washington Post
Since the 1970s, extreme poverty has more than halved, and while the exact scope of the gains depends on how we measure them, there’s no disputing that people are living longer, healthier, safer lives than ever before.
The world’s problems overwhelmed me. This book empowered me.|Kelsey Piper|December 11, 2020|Vox

Pfizer and BioNTech have halved their original estimates for how many coronavirus vaccines would be shipped globally by the end of this year, citing supply-chain issues, the Wall Street Journal first reported.
WSJ: Pfizer to ship half as many COVID vaccines this year, citing supply chain issues|Orion Rummler|December 3, 2020|Axios
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
Halve nice peaches, peel them, and put one half on a round of sponge cake for each person.
Living on a Little|Caroline French Benton
In the ordinary way I was pretty certain to halve one of the nine holes with Henry, and so win the match.
Happy Days|Alan Alexander Milne
You may not care to halve it, Mary, perhaps halving would be too much, but a hundred a year for Teresa.
Lady Cassandra|Mrs George de Horne Vaizey
I became used to her in time, and knowing she would halve whatever I said, used to demand double the worth of the thing.
Lazy Thoughts of a Lazy Girl|Jenny Wren
Beard the oysters and scallops; halve or quarter them; pack them in scallop-shells or small tins.
Margaret Brown's French Cookery Book|Margaret Brown

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

halve

Idioms about halve

Origin of halve

OTHER WORDS FROM halve

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH halve

Words nearby halve

Words related to halve

How to use halve in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for halve

Word Origin for halve