Definition of Half

Pronunciation: häf
a.1.Consisting of a moiety, or half; as, 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; as, a half dream; half knowledge.
Assumed from thence a half consent.
- Tennyson.
Half ape
(Zool.) a lemur.
Half back
(Football) See under 2d Back.
Half bent
the first notch, for the sear point to enter, in the tumbler of a gunlock; the halfcock notch.
Half binding
a style of bookbinding in which only the back and corners are in leather.
Half boarder
one who boards in part; specifically, a scholar at a boarding school who takes dinner only.
Half-breadth plan
(Shipbuilding) a horizontal plan of one half a vessel, divided lengthwise, showing the lines.
Half cadence
(Mus.) a cadence on the dominant.
Half cap
a slight salute with the cap.
At half cock
the position of the cock of a gun when retained by the first notch.
- Shak.
Half hitch
a sailor's knot in a rope; half of a clove hitch.
Half hose
short stockings; socks.
Half measure
an imperfect or weak line of action.
Half note
(Mus.) a minim, one half of a semibreve.
Half pay
half of the wages or salary; reduced pay; as, an officer on half pay.
Half price
half the ordinary price; or a price much reduced.
Half round
a - (Arch.) A molding of semicircular section.
b - (Mech.) Having one side flat and the other rounded; - said of a file.
Half shift
(Mus.) a position of the hand, between the open position and the first shift, in playing on the violin and kindred instruments. See Shift.
Half step
(Mus.) a semitone; the smallest difference of pitch or interval, used in music.
Half tide
the time or state of the tide equally distant from ebb and flood.
Half time
half the ordinary time for work or attendance; as, the half-time system.
Half tint
(Fine Arts) a middle or intermediate tint, as in drawing or painting. See Demitint.
Half truth
a statement only partially true, or which gives only a part of the truth.
Half year
the space of six months; one term of a school when there are two terms in a year.
- Mrs. Browning.
adv.1.In an equal part or degree; in some part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly; as, half-colored, half done, half-hearted, half persuaded, half conscious.
Their children spoke halfin the speech of Ashdod.
- Neh. xiii. 24.
n.1.Part; side; behalf.
The four halves of the house.
- Chaucer.
2.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.
Not half his riches known, and yet despised.
- Milton.
A friendship so complete
Portioned in halves between us.
- Tennyson.
Better half
See under Better.
In half
in two; an expression sometimes used improperly instead of in halves or into halves; as, to cut in half.
In one's half
in one's behalf; on one's part.
- Dickens.
To cry halves
to claim an equal share with another.
To go halves
to share equally between two.
v. t.1.To halve. [Obs.] See Halve.


Related Words

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Haiti
Haitian
haj
Haje
haji
Hake
Hake's-dame
Haketon
Hakim
Halacha
Halation
Halberd
Halberd-shaped
Halberdier
Halcyon
Halcyonian
Halcyonoid
Hale
Halenia
Halesia
Half an eye
Half ape
Half back
Half bent
Half binding
Half blood
Half boarder
Half cadence
Half cap
half duplex
Half heck
Half hitch
Half hose
Half measure
Half nelson
Half note
Half pay
Half price
Half round
Half seas over
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