Halfof an amount or object is one of two equal parts that together make up the whole number,amount, or object.
They need an extra two and a half thousand pounds to complete the project.
More than half of all households report incomes above £35,000. [+ of]
Cut the tomatoes in half vertically.
The bridge was re-built in two halves.
The tough market would lead to 400 jobs being cut in the first half of this year.
Half is also a predeterminer.
We just sat and talked for half an hour or so.
They had only received half the money promised.
She's half his age.
Half is also an adjective.
...£4.75 for a half chicken tandoori.
...a half measure of fresh lemon juice.
Steve barely said a handful of words during the first half hour.
Synonyms: partial, limited, fractional, divided More Synonyms of half
2. adverb [ADVERB adjective, ADVERB before verb]
You use half to say that something is only partly the case or happens to only a limited extent.
His eyes were half closed.
His refrigerator frequently looked half empty.
She'd half expected him to withdraw from the course.
3. countable noun
In games such as football, rugby, and basketball, matches are divided into two equal periods of time which are called halves.
The only goal was scored early in the second half.
4. countable noun
A half is half a pint of a drink such as beer or cider.
[British]
...a half of lager and a sandwich.
5. countable noun
A half is a half-price bus or train ticket for a child.
[British]
6. adverb [ADVERB adjective]
You use half to say that someone has parents of different nationalities. For example, if you are half German, one of your parents is German but the other is not.
She was half Italian and half English.
7. phrase
You use half past to refer to a time that is thirty minutes after a particular hour.
'What time were you planning lunch?'—'Half past twelve, if that's convenient.'.
I think I got there about four and left about half past.
8. preposition
Half means the same as half past.
[British, informal]
They are supposed to be here at about half four.
9. adverb [ADVERB adjective]
You can use half before an adjective describing an extreme quality, as a way of emphasizing and exaggerating something.
[informal, emphasis]
He felt half dead with tiredness.
All this time I've been half sick about you and why you wouldn't write.
Half can also be used in this way with a noun referring to a long period of time or a large quantity.
I thought about you half the night.
He wouldn't know what he was saying half the time.
One phone call and half the city's police force will be around to arrest you.
10.
See not half
11. adverb [with neg, ADVERB noun, ADVas/so adj]
You use not half or not half as to show that you do not think something is as good or impressive as it is meant to be.
[emphasis]
You're not half the man you think you are.
Poor old Henry, and not half as clever as he'd thought.
12.
See and a half
13.
See your better half
14.
See by half
15.
See never do things by halves
16.
See go halves
17. half the battle
18. half an ear
19. too clever by half
More Synonyms of half
English Easy Learning GrammarDeterminersDeterminers are words that make the reference of nouns more specific. If I say ‘thiscar’ it is clear that I mean a particular car which is near me. If ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarIndefinite pronounsThe indefinite pronouns are used when you do not know or do not need to say preciselywho or what you are referring to. The noun phrase which they substitute ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarNoun phrases with several determinersMost noun phrases contain only one determiner or none at all, but if there are more,they follow a definite order. Determiners can be divided into four ... Read more
half in British English
(hɑːf)
nounWord forms: pluralhalves (hɑːvz)
1.
a.
either of two equal or corresponding parts that together comprise a whole
b.
a quantity equalling such a part
half a dozen
2.
half a pint, esp of beer
3. Scottish
a small drink of spirits, esp whisky
4. sport
the half of the pitch regarded as belonging to one team
5. golf
an equal score on a hole or round with an opponent
6.
(in various games) either of two periods of play separated by an interval (the first half and second half)
7.
a half-price ticket on a bus, train, etc
8. short for half-hour
9. short for halfpenny (sense 1)
10. sport short for halfback
11. obsolete
a half-year period
12. better half
13. by half
14. by halves
15. go halves
determiner
16.
a.
being a half or approximately a half
half the kingdom
b.
(as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural)
half of them came
adjective
17.
not perfect or complete; partial
he only did a half job on it
adverb
18.
to the amount or extent of a half
19.
to a great amount or extent
20.
partially; to an extent
21. half one
22. have half a mind to
23. not half
▶ Related prefixes: , , , bi-, demi-, hemi-, semi-
Word origin
Old English healf; related to Old Norse halfr, Old High German halb, Dutch half
half- in British English
prefix
1.
one of two equal parts
half-moon
2.
related by one parent only
half-sister
3.
not completely; partly
half-hardy
half in American English
(hæf; hɑf)
nounWord forms: pluralhalves
1.
a.
either of the two equal parts of something
the top half of the sixth inning
b.
either of two approximately equal parts
the larger half of a divided pie
2.
a.
a half-hour
half past one
b. US
a half dollar
3.
a. US, Baseball
either of the two parts of an inning
the top half of the sixth inning
b. Basketball and American Football Etc
either of the two equal periods of the game, between which the players rest
c. US, American Football
halfback
adjective
4.
a.
being either of the two equal parts
b.
being about a half of the amount, length, etc.
a half mask covered his eyes
5.
incomplete; fragmentary; partial
adverb
6.
to an extent approximately or exactly fifty percent of the whole
7.
a.
to some extent; partly
to be half convinced
b.
to a large extent or degree; nearly
often used hyperbolically
half dead with fatigue
8.
by any means; at all
used with not
not half bad
Idioms:
by half
in half
not the half of
Word origin
ME < OE healf, part, half, akin to ON halfr, Ger halb < IE (s)kelep-, lit., divided < base *(s)kel-, to cut > UNRESOLVED CROSS REF, skill, helm1
half- in American English
(hæf)
1.
one half
half-life
2.
partly
half-baked
More idioms containing
half
your other half
how the other half lives
listen with half an ear
you can't be half pregnant
half a loaf is better than none
six of one and half a dozen of the other
Examples of 'half' in a sentence
half
This country has come a long way on gender equality over the past half century.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There was probably a penalty for handball in the second half.
The Sun (2017)
This race should set up better and the extra half a mile will suit.
The Sun (2016)
It took just over half a year to lose the weight.
The Sun (2016)
Trim spring onions and cut in half.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
She did so more than two and a half months ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This is another race where you can give chances to at least half the field.
The Sun (2016)
Did he drop it in half way?
The Sun (2016)
But City looked back in full flow here and the only thing missing from their first half was a goal.
The Sun (2017)
It was the highest reading in two and a half years.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He used to go at half past five in the morning.
Max Arthur Lost Voices of the Edwardians: 19011910 in the words of the Men & Women Who WereThere (2006)
The scorer could have made absolutely sure in the second half but steered his header wide.
The Sun (2009)
That is nearly half a mile of respectful humanity.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Now is not a time for half measures.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The second half was the complete opposite.
The Sun (2011)
You are only going to use one half of the sheet.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The deficit has been cut in half.
The Sun (2015)
The disappointment was that we lost the second goal on half time.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It had been two and a half years.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Place in the fridge for at least half an hour to firm up.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The glass is way more than half full.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Pour about half a pint of the pheasant stock around.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We met two and a half years ago through mutual friends.
The Sun (2013)
Around half of former players blow their cash when they quit.
The Sun (2014)
The important thing is to be involved at the top in the second half of the season.
The Sun (2011)
Women could breach it by drinking a half pint or small glass of wine.
The Sun (2010)
Perhaps half of all jobs might soon be done by robots.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
They were outstanding in the first half in particular.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Their deaths came after the killing of a young man less than half a mile away.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The race is four and a half miles!
The Sun (2016)
Who on earth gets to the airport with only half an hour to spare anyway?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We now also have real depth of quality in certain positions, such as fly half.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
He was small, played scrum half and did not turn enough heads to get invited to the trials.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
However, I did think that the allocation of three half- columns to this former Dean of Starbridge was a trifle generous.
Howatch, Susan ABSOLUTE TRUTHS
The housewife had died, and Rennie had survived untouched and drunk a half- bottle before lunchtime.
Seymour, Gerald FIELD OF BLOOD
They went through the final door into the tunnel where Big Blue stood half- asleep in his pen.
Tepper, Sheri S. A PLAGUE OF ANGELS
Quotations
The half is better than the whole
Half a loaf is better than no bread
In other languages
half
British English: half /hɑːf/ ADJECTIVE
Half means being a half or approximately a half.
...the first half hour.
American English: half
Arabic: نِصْفِيّ
Brazilian Portuguese: meio
Chinese: 一半的
Croatian: polovičan
Czech: poloviční
Danish: halv
Dutch: half
European Spanish: medio mitad
Finnish: puoli
French: demi
German: halb
Greek: μισός
Italian: mezzo
Japanese: 半分の
Korean: 반
Norwegian: halv
Polish: połówkowy
European Portuguese: meio
Romanian: jumătate
Russian: половинный
Latin American Spanish: medio mitad de algo
Swedish: halv
Thai: ครึ่ง
Turkish: yarım
Ukrainian: половинний
Vietnamese: một nửa
British English: half /hɑːf/ ADVERB
You use half to say that something is only partly the case.
His eyes were half closed.
American English: half
Arabic: نِصْفِيًّا
Brazilian Portuguese: meio
Chinese: 一半
Croatian: napola
Czech: napůl
Danish: halvt
Dutch: half
European Spanish: medio
Finnish: puoliksi
French: à moitié
German: halb
Greek: κατά το ήμισυ
Italian: quasi
Japanese: 半分だけ
Korean: 반쯤
Norwegian: halvt
Polish: na pół
European Portuguese: meio
Romanian: jumătate
Russian: наполовину
Latin American Spanish: medio mitad de algo
Swedish: halvt
Thai: ครึ่งหนึ่ง
Turkish: yarı yarıya
Ukrainian: наполовину
Vietnamese: tới một nửa
British English: half /hɑːf/ NOUN
A half is one of two equal parts that make up a whole thing.
We each had half of the cake.
American English: half
Arabic: نِصْف
Brazilian Portuguese: metade
Chinese: 半数
Croatian: polovica
Czech: polovina
Danish: halvdel
Dutch: helft
European Spanish: mitad
Finnish: puolikas
French: moitié
German: Hälfte
Greek: μισό
Italian: metà
Japanese: 半分
Korean: 절반
Norwegian: halvpart
Polish: połowa
European Portuguese: metade
Romanian: jumătate
Russian: половина
Latin American Spanish: mitad
Swedish: hälft
Thai: ครึ่งหนึ่ง
Turkish: yarım
Ukrainian: половина
Vietnamese: một nửa
All related terms of 'half'
half-p
a small British coin worth half a new penny , withdrawn from circulation in 1985
by half
If you increase something by half , half of the original amount is added to it. If you decrease it by half , half of the original amount is taken away from it.
in half
into halves
fly half
a player who acts as a link between the scrum half and three-quarter backs
half-ball
a contact in billiards , etc, in which the player aims through the centre of the cue ball to the edge of the object ball, so that half the object ball is covered
half-blue
(at Oxford and Cambridge universities) a person who substitutes for a full blue or who represents the university in a minor sport
half-boot
a boot reaching to the midcalf
half-butt
a snooker cue longer than an ordinary cue, usually used with a long rest
half-cell
a cell consisting of an electrode immersed in a suitable electrolyte , designed to measure single electrode potentials
half cent
a bronze coin of the U.S., equal to one-half cent , issued at various periods between 1793 and 1857
half-clad
partially dressed
half-cock
on a single-action firearm , a halfway position in which the hammer can be set for safety ; in this position the trigger is cocked by the hammer which cannot reach the primer to fire the weapon
half-cut
partially severed or divided
half-day
A half-day is a day when you work only in the morning or in the afternoon, but not all day.
half-dead
very tired
half-deaf
unable to hear very well
half-deck
a deck on an old ship of war that is situated below the upper deck and extends aft from the mainmast
half-done
(of a job, task , project, etc) only partially completed
half fare
the sum charged or paid for conveyance in a bus , train, aeroplane , etc, by children, pensioners , etc, when it is equal to half the cost of the price paid by a regular passenger
half-fill
to fill (a vessel, place, etc) so that it holds or contains half its capacity
half-full
(of a vessel, place, etc) holding or containing half its capacity
half-hose
socks
half-hour
a period of 30 minutes
half-inch
a measure of length approximately equivalent to 13 millimetres
half-jack
a flat pocket-sized bottle of alcohol
half-lie
something that a person says or writes that they know to be partly untrue
half-life
The half-life of a radioactive substance is the amount of time that it takes to lose half its radioactivity .
half-line
a straight line extending infinitely in a single direction from a point
half-mad
not entirely sane
half-mast
the lower than normal position to which a flag is lowered on a mast as a sign of mourning or distress
half-mile
half a mile
half-moon
the moon at first or last quarter when half its face is illuminated
half-note
A half note is a musical note that has a time value equal to two quarter notes.
half one
30 minutes after one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, etc
half-open
(of a file ) having a pawn or pawns of only one colour on it
half-pace
a small stage on which something stands
half past
You use past when you are stating a time which is thirty minutes or less after a particular hour . For example, if it is twenty past six , it is twenty minutes after six o'clock.
half pay
half the usual salary or wages
half-pie
poorly planned or conceived
half pint
a unit of liquid measure of capacity equal to one half of a pint
half-pipe
a structure with a U-shaped cross-section , used in performing stunts in skateboarding , snowboarding , rollerblading , etc
half-raw
(of meat ) only partially cooked
half rest
a pause of half a semibreve
half-shut
partially closed
half-size
any size , esp in clothing, that is halfway between two sizes
half-slip
a woman's topless slip that hangs from the waist
half-sole
a sole from the shank of a shoe to the toe
half step
a short marching step of fifteen inches (in double time, eighteen inches)
half term
Half-term is a short holiday in the middle of a school term.
half-tide
the state of the tide between flood and ebb
Chinese translation of 'half'
half
(hɑːf)
Word forms:plhalves
n, pron(c)
[of amount, object]一半 (yībàn)
⇒ Just give me half (of) that, please.请给我一半。 (qǐng gěi wǒ yībàn.)
⇒ We ate half (of) the cake.我们吃了蛋糕的一半。 (Wǒmen chīle dàngāo de yībàn.)
⇒ The bridge was re-built in two halves.桥是分开两半重建的。 (Qiáo shì fēnkāi liǎng bàn chóngjiàn de.)
(Brit)[of beer etc]半品脱(脫) (bàn pǐntuō)
⇒ a half of lager半品脱贮藏啤酒 (bàn pǐntuō zhùcáng píjiǔ)