| 释义 |
better half
better halfn. Informal A person's spouse or romantic partner.
[Ultimately translation of such phrases in Latin poetry as animae dīmidium meae, half of my soul (referring to the poet's friend).]better half n jocular one's spouse bet′ter half′
n. Informal. a person's spouse. [1830–40] Thesaurus| Noun | 1. |  better half - a person's partner in marriage married person, partner, spouse, mateman and wife, married couple, marriage - two people who are married to each other; "his second marriage was happier than the first"; "a married couple without love"bigamist - someone who marries one person while already legally married to anotherconsort - the husband or wife of a reigning monarchdomestic partner, significant other, spousal equivalent, spouse equivalent - a person (not necessarily a spouse) with whom you cohabit and share a long-term sexual relationshiphelpmate, helpmeet - a helpful partnerhubby, husband, married man - a married man; a woman's partner in marriagerelative, relation - a person related by blood or marriage; "police are searching for relatives of the deceased"; "he has distant relations back in New Jersey"monogamist, monogynist - someone who practices monogamy (one spouse at a time)honeymooner, newlywed - someone recently marriedpolygamist - someone who is married to two or more people at the same timemarried woman, wife - a married woman; a man's partner in marriage |
better halfnounInformal. A husband or wife:consort, mate, partner, spouse.Translationsbetter half
(one's) better halfOne's spouse or romantic partner. I'd love to come out with you guys after work, but I'd better check in with my better half to make sure we don't have any plans for this evening. The work retreat is meant to be for couples, so be sure to bring your better half!See also: better, halfbetter half1. Also, better part. The larger amount or majority of something, as in I won't be long; the better half of this job is complete, or I have spent the better part of my life in this city. Sir Philip Sidney used the first term in Arcadia (1580): "I ... shall think the better half of it already achieved." The variant appears in a well-known proverb, discretion is the better part of valor. 2. Also, my better half. One's (my) spouse, as in I'm not sure if we can go; I'll have to check with my better half. Originally this expression meant "a close friend or lover," and by the 16th century it referred to either a wife or lover. Sidney used it in this way, again in Arcadia: "My dear, my better half (said he), I find I must now leave thee." Today it tends to be used lightly for either husband or wife. "Late 1500s" See also: better, halfbetter half, myMy spouse, usually referring to one’s wife. The term dates from the sixteenth century and originally signified a close friend or lover. Indeed, much earlier the Roman poet Horace called his friend animae dimidium meae, describing an intimacy in which two friends are considered the halves of one whole. The Elizabethans used it for a wife (Sir Philip Sidney in Arcadia, 1590) or lover (Shakespeare, Sonnet 39, ca. 1600). It continued to be used seriously through the eighteenth century and then began to be used more in a jocular or ironic way, as it is today.See also: betterbetter half
Synonyms for better halfnoun a husband or wifeSynonymsSynonyms for better halfnoun a person's partner in marriageSynonyms- married person
- partner
- spouse
- mate
Related Words- man and wife
- married couple
- marriage
- bigamist
- consort
- domestic partner
- significant other
- spousal equivalent
- spouse equivalent
- helpmate
- helpmeet
- hubby
- husband
- married man
- relative
- relation
- monogamist
- monogynist
- honeymooner
- newlywed
- polygamist
- married woman
- wife
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