Definition of "half"

half

/hɑːf/

noun
plural halves
1. One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided.
  Quotations
  Not half his riches known, and yet despised.
  1634 October 9 (first performance), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903,
  I and he, / Brothers in Art; a friendship so complete / Portion'd in halves between us, […]
  1842, Alfred Tennyson, “The Gardener’s Daughter; or, The Pictures”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], page 19
2. (sports) One of the two opposite parts of the playing field of various sports, in which each starts the game.
  Quotations
  However, the hosts hit back and hit back hard, first replacement hooker Andrew Hore sliding over, then Williams careering out of his own half and leaving several defenders for dead before flipping the ball to Nonu to finish off a scintillating move.
  2011 September 16, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand 83-7 Japan”, in BBC Sport‎
3. (Britain) 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.
  Quotations
  He came back with a pint of Guinness for me and a half of bitter for Wendy.
  1968, John Braine, The Crying Game, Houghton Mifflin, page 11
  I accepted a half of bitter from him.
  1974, James Herriot, All Things Bright and Beautiful, St. Martin's Press,
  I went to the bar where I bought a pint and two large brandies... "Not brandy," she replied, "but I could use a long drink - maybe a half of lager."
  2006, Bill Appleton, Wide Boy, Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie, page 168
4. (preceded by “a” or a number) The fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2.
5. Any of the three terms at Eton College, for Michaelmas, Lent, and summer.
6. (slang) A half sibling.
  Quotations
  So for Richard and Barbara, Jeff and Kari, the impossibly varied collection of steps and halves that is another legacy of my father.
  2016, Robert M. Herzog, A World Between
7. (UK, dated) A child ticket. Two and a half to Paddington.
8. (sports) abbreviated form for half marathon.
9. (numismatic slang) Clipping of half-dollar.
  Quotations
  Tonight, we're offering the last of the Walking Liberty Halves for awhile:[sic]
  2002 August 15, Fred A. Murphy, “FA: Last of the Walkers”, in rec.collecting.coins‎ (Usenet), retrieved 2023-01-03
adjective
not comparable
1. Consisting of a half (½, 50%).
2. Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect.
  Quotations
  Assumed from thence a half-consent.
  1847, Alfred Tennyson, “(please specify the page number, or |part=Prologue, I to VII, or conclusion)”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, […]
3. (of a sibling) Having one parent (rather than two) in common.
4. (of a relative other than a sibling) Related through one common grandparent or ancestor rather than two.
adverb
not comparable
1. In two equal parts or to an equal degree.
2. In some part approximating a half.
3. Partially; imperfectly.
  Quotations
  Half loth and half consenting.
  1690, [John] Dryden, Don Sebastian, King of Portugal: […], London: […] Jo. Hindmarsh, […], (please specify the page number)
  Their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Nehemiah 13:24
  I sometimes hold it half a sin⁠To put in words the grief I feel;⁠For words, like Nature, half revealAnd half conceal the Soul within.
  1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], canto V
4. Practically, nearly.
  Quotations
  To be a King, is halfe to bee a God.
  c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, Act II, scene v
verb
third-person singular simple present halves, present participle halving, simple past and past participle halved
1. (transitive, obsolete) To halve.
preposition
1. (UK, Ireland) Half past; a half-hour (30 minutes) after the last hour.
2. (rare, see usage notes) A half-hour to (preceding) the next hour.
interjection
1. (theater) A call reminding performers that the performance will begin in thirty minutes.

Definition of "half"

half

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adjective

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adverb

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verb

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interjection