1 half
Pronounced:
/ˈhæf, Brit ˈhɑ:f/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural halves /ˈhævz, Brit ˈhɑvz/ Meaning:
1 : one of two equal or nearly equal parts into which something can be divided [count] ▪ She broke each cookie into halves. ▪ “Which half do you want?” “I'll take the smaller half.” ▪ Two halves make a whole. [noncount] ▪ The price has been reduced by half. [=by 50 percent; by an amount that is equal to one half of the original] —see also better half, other half
2 a [count] : either of the two equal periods of playing time in sports like football and basketball ▪ The team fell behind in the first half but rallied in the second half to win the game. b the half : the time when the first half of a game ends ▪ The score was tied at the half. [=at halftime]
3 [count] Brit informal : half a pint of a drink (such as beer) ▪ “What's yours?” “A half of lager, please.”
2 a [count] : either of the two equal periods of playing time in sports like football and basketball ▪ The team fell behind in the first half but rallied in the second half to win the game. b the half : the time when the first half of a game ends ▪ The score was tied at the half. [=at halftime]
3 [count] Brit informal : half a pint of a drink (such as beer) ▪ “What's yours?” “A half of lager, please.”
and a half
1 —used in measurements of time, distance, weight, etc., to indicate one half of the unit of measurement ▪ My daughter is two and a half (years old). [=two years and six months old] ▪ The fish was a foot and a half long. [=one foot and six inches long] ▪ ten and a half pounds [=ten pounds and eight ounces]
2 informal —used to say that something is very good, large, difficult, etc. ▪ That was a meal and a half! [=that was a very big meal] ▪ Renovating a house is a job and a half. [=is a very difficult job]
2 informal —used to say that something is very good, large, difficult, etc. ▪ That was a meal and a half! [=that was a very big meal] ▪ Renovating a house is a job and a half. [=is a very difficult job]
by halves
informal : in an incomplete way —used in negative statements to say that someone does things with a lot of energy and effort ▪ She never does anything by halves—it's all or nothing!
go halves also go half and half
: to share the cost of something equally ▪ We decided to go halves (with each other) on the expenses.
in half
: into two equal parts : into two halves ▪ She cut the apple in half.
the half of it
informal —used to say that a situation is even worse than you think it is or than it seems to be ▪ “It sounds like you've been having some problems.” “You don't know the half of it!” ▪ Sales are down but that's only the half of it—the company is closing several stores.
too…by half
chiefly Brit informal —used to say that someone or something has too much of a particular quality usually in a way that is annoying ▪ an arrogant politician who is too clever by half