half
UK /ˈhɑːf/ · US /ˈhæf/ noun, adjective, adverb, verb, preposition, interjection
Forms halves halving halved 'arf ha'f halfe
- noun One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided. “I ate the smaller half of the apple.”
- noun (sports) One of two equal periods into which a game is divided. “An association football match usually consists of two halves of 45 minutes each.”
- noun (sports) One of the two opposite parts of the playing field of various sports, in which each starts the game.
- noun (UK) half a pint of beer or cider. (Refusing a pint) Just a half, thank you. (Offering to top up a pint glass) Do you want a half in that? (Minimizing the amount of drink taken) A swift half at the Pear Tree.
- noun (liquor trade) A barrel measure of 27 gallons (half a hogshead).
- noun (preceded by “a” or a number) The fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2. “Three-quarters minus a quarter is a half.”
- noun Any of the three terms at Eton College, for Michaelmas, Lent, and summer.
- noun (slang) A half sibling.
- adjective Consisting of a half (½, 50%). “a half kilo”
- adjective Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect. “a half truth”
- adjective (of a sibling) Having one parent (rather than two) in common. “a half brother or half sister”
- adjective (of a relative other than a sibling) Related through one common grandparent or ancestor rather than two. “a half uncle or half aunt or half cousin”
- adverb In two equal parts or to an equal degree.
- adverb In some part approximating a half.
- adverb Partially; imperfectly. “half-colored”
- adverb Practically, nearly.
- verb (transitive, obsolete except nonstandard) To halve.
- preposition (UK, Ireland) Half past; a half-hour (30 minutes) after the last hour. “The time is 9:30; it is half nine.”
- preposition (rare, see usage notes) A half-hour to (preceding) the next hour. “In some countries, "half seven" means 6:30.”
- interjection (theater) A call reminding performers that the performance will begin in thirty minutes.
Synonyms
½ semi- hemi- demi- halfly bipartition bisect dichotomize dimidiate halve half past one-half
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English half, halfe from Old English healf (“half”); as a noun, 'half', 'side', 'part', from Proto-West Germanic *halb, from Proto-Germanic *halbaz.
Cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian, and Old Dutch half, West Frisian heal, Dutch half, German halb, Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish halv, Icelandic hálfur and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs). Compare halve, behalf.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Consisting of a moiety, or half; as, a half bushel; a half hour; a half dollar; a half view.
- adjective Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect; as, a half dream; half knowledge.
- adverb In an equal part or degree; in some paas, half-colored, half done, half-hearted, half persuaded, half conscious. "Half loth and half consenting." Dryden.
- noun Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] Wyclif.
Etymology [AS. healf, half, half; as a noun, half, side, part; akin to OS., OFries., & D. half, G. halb, Sw. half, Dan. halv, Icel. halfr, Goth. halbs. Cf. Halve, Behalf.]
Etymology [AS. healf. See Half, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “half”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details