half
half definition
half (haf, häf)
noun pl. halves
- either of the two equal parts of something the top half of the sixth inning
- either of two approximately equal parts the larger half of a divided pie
- a half-hour half past one
- ☆ a half dollar
- ☆ Baseball either of the two parts of an inning the top half of the sixth inning
- Basketball, Football, etc. either of the two equal periods of the game, between which the players rest
- ☆ Football halfback
Etymology: ME < OE healf, part, half, akin to ON halfr, Ger halb < IE (s)kelep-, lit., divided < base *(s)kel-, to cut > scalp, skill, helm
adjective
- being either of the two equal parts
- being about a half of the amount, length, etc. a half mask covered his eyes
- incomplete; fragmentary; partial
adverb
- to an extent approximately or exactly fifty percent of the whole
- to some extent; partly to be half convinced
- to a large extent or degree; nearly: often used hyperbolically half dead with fatigue
- by any means; at all: used with not not half bad
half Idioms
by half
considerably; very much
in half
into halves
not the half of
only a small part of
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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