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half
[haf]
noun
plural
halvesone 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.
one of two; a part of a pair.
Informal.
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.
Synonyms: , ,to some extent; almost.
half recovered.
half
1/ ɑː /
noun
either of two equal or corresponding parts that together comprise a whole
a quantity equalling such a part
half a dozen
half a pint, esp of beer
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
sport short for halfback
obsoletea half-year period
humorousa person's wife or husband
by an excessive amount or to an excessive degree
he's too arrogant by half
(used with a negative) without being thorough or exhaustive
we don't do things by halves
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
determiner
being a half or approximately a half
half the kingdom
( as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural )
half of them came
adjective
not perfect or complete; partial
he only did a half job on it
adverb
to the amount or extent of a half
to a great amount or extent
partially; to an extent
informal30 minutes after two o'clock
to have the intention of
informal
not in any way
he's not half clever enough
really; very; indeed
he isn't half stupid
certainly; yes, indeed
half-
2prefix
one of two equal parts
half-moon
related by one parent only
half-sister
not completely; partly
half-hardy
Grammar Note
Word History and Origins
Origin of half1
Word History and Origins
Origin of half1
Idioms and Phrases
by half, by very much; by far.
She was too talented by half for her routine role.
not half,
not at all; not really.
His first attempts at painting are not half bad.
half.
half again as much / many, as much as 50 percent more.
This mug holds half again as much coffee as the smaller one.
not the half of, a significant yet relatively minor part of something that remains to be described in full: Also not half of, not half.
He accused them of being responsible for the error, and that's not the half of the story.
half in two, in or into two parts; in half.
Cut the cake half in two.
in half, divided into halves.
The vase broke in half.
Example Sentences
Such an action hadn’t been taken in more than half a century.
For the other half of patients, the chance of being named gets a little smaller with every day that the phone doesn’t ring.
Indonesia now accounts for more than half of the world's nickel mine production, according to a report last year by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
This works out as less than half of the National Living Wage.
Leinster led 19-0 at half-time and Conan believes the strong defensive effort to shut out South African visitors Bulls after racing into the lead helped his side over the line in the second half.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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