half joke
A statement which contains elements of both jest and seriousness.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He said he would quit, but it was only a half joke.”
“She told her boss she was moving to the moon, but it was a half joke because she really does want a new start.”
“His comment about leaving the company was delivered as a half joke, yet the underlying frustration in his voice suggested a deeper, more serious intent.”
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all over hell's half acre
All over the place; everywhere.
- 02
bad joke
A situation that is badly planned, or illogical.
- 03
baker's half dozen
Seven, a group of seven.
- 04
do by halves
To perform (a task, etc) partially or incompletely; to do (something) inadequately, halfheartedly, or shoddily.
- 05
go halves
To divide equally between two parties.
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half a brain
A very basic or minimal level of intelligence.
- 07
half a head
Synonym of half a brain.
- 08
half a mind
A moderate inclination.
Last updated August 10, 2026