half

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[edit] English

Most common English words: mother « often « themselves « #268: half » certain » sent » keep

[edit] Etymology

Old English healf ('half'); as a noun, 'half', 'side', 'part'; akin to Old Saxon, Old Friesian, and Dutch half, German halb, Swedish half, Danish halv, Icelandic hālfr and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs). Compare halve, behalf.

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Adjective

half (not comparable)

Positive
half

Comparative
not comparable

Superlative
none (absolute)

  1. Consisting of a moiety, or half (1/2, 50%)
    a half bushel; a half hour; a half dollar; a half view
  2. Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect
    a half dream; half knowledge
  3. (of a sibling) Having one parent (rather than two) in common
    A half brother or half sister
  4. (rare, 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

[edit] Usage notes

  • (consisting of a moiety, or half): The adjective and noun are often united to form a compound.

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Adverb

half (not comparable)

Positive
half

Comparative
not comparable

Superlative
none (absolute)

  1. In two equal parts or to an equal degree; in some part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly
    half-colored; half done; half-hearted; half persuaded; half conscious
    • John Dryden:
      Half loth and half consenting.
    • Nehemiah 13:24:
      Their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

Singular
half

Plural
halves

half (plural halves)

  1. One of two equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided; — sometimes followed by of; as, a half of an apple.
    • John Milton:
      Not half his riches known, and yet despised.
    • Alfred Tennyson:
      A friendship so complete Portioned in halves between us
  2. Half of a standard measure; frequently used (British) for half a pint of beer or cider.
    • 1968 (British), John Braine, The Crying Game, Houghton Mifflin, p. 11,
      He came back with a pint of Guinness for me and a half of bitter for Wendy.
    • 1974 (British), James Herriot, All Things Bright and Beautiful, St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0312020309,
      I accepted a half of bitter from him.
    • 2006 (British), Bill Appleton, Wide Boy, Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie, ISBN 1843862530, p. 168,
      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."
  3. (arithmetic, preceded by “a” or a number) The fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2.
    Three-quarters minus a quarter is a half.
  4. (obsolete) part; side; behalf — Wyclif

[edit] Synonyms

  • (arithmetic: fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2): ½

[edit] Translations

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to half

Third person singular
halves

Simple past
halved

Past participle
halved

Present participle
halving

to half (third-person singular simple present halves, present participle halving, simple past and past participle halved)

  1. (transitive, obsolete) To halve.

[edit] Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

[edit] See also

[edit] References


[edit] Dutch

[edit] Adjective

half (declined halve)

  1. half

[edit] Derived terms


[edit] German

[edit] Verb

half

  1. Past tense singular of helfen.