half

A2 · Elementary Countable noun Sports

n. one of the two main periods of time in a sports game.

n. either of the two equal periods into which a game is divided.

“The team played much better in the second half and scored two goals.”

“After a scoreless first half, the coach made several tactical substitutions to increase the team's offensive pressure.”

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun British English

n. half a pint of beer or another drink.

n. a measure of liquid, specifically half a pint of beer or cider.

“I'll just have a half of bitter, please, as I am driving later.”

“He ordered a half of local ale while waiting for his colleagues to arrive at the pub for the evening.”

A2 · Elementary

adj. being one of two equal parts of something.

adj. consisting of a half or approximately a half; partial in nature.

“He drank a half glass of water before going for a run.”

“The project was left in a half-finished state after the primary investor suddenly withdrew their funding.”

B1 · Intermediate

adj. related through only one parent.

adj. sharing only one parent rather than two.

“She has a half brother who lives in Australia.”

“Although they are half sisters, they grew up in the same household and remain exceptionally close as adults.”

B1 · Intermediate

adv. partly or not completely.

adv. to the extent of a half; partially or imperfectly.

“I was half asleep when the phone rang this morning.”

“The instructions were only half understood, leading to several avoidable errors during the assembly process.”

A2 · Elementary British English · Dialect

prep. thirty minutes past the hour.

prep. used to indicate thirty minutes past a specific hour; often used without 'past' in certain dialects.

“The train leaves at half eight, so we should get to the station early.”

“In many parts of the UK, people say 'half six' to mean 6:30, which can confuse learners used to the full 'half past' construction.”

C1 · Advanced Theater Technical

interj. a call to tell actors that the show starts in thirty minutes.

interj. a traditional call given to performers thirty minutes before the commencement of a performance.

“The stage manager shouted 'the half' to let the cast know it was time to get ready.”

“When the call for the half was announced, the lead actress began her final vocal warm-ups in the dressing room.”