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half

n. · adj. · adv. · prep. · interj.
US //ˈhæf// UK //hˈɑːf// half
  1. 1 one of two equal parts (n.)
    A1 Beginner

    one of two equal parts that make up a whole.

    one of two equal or approximately equal parts into which a whole is or can be divided.

    Example

    She gave half of her sandwich to her friend because he forgot his lunch.

    Example

    The property was divided into two equal halves, with each sibling receiving a portion of the fertile farmland near the river.
    Pitfall
    I cut the apple in two halfs.
    I cut the apple into two halves.

    The plural of 'half' is 'halves'.

  2. 2 sports/games (n.)
    A2 Elementary Sport

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

    After a scoreless first half, the coach made several tactical substitutions to increase the team's offensive pressure.
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  1. 3 a drink (n.)
    B1 Intermediate British English

    half a pint of beer or another drink.

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

    Example

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

    Example

    He ordered a half of local ale while waiting for his colleagues to arrive at the pub for the evening.
  2. 4 partial or 50% (adj.)
    A2 Elementary

    being one of two equal parts of something.

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

    Example

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

    Example

    The project was left in a half-finished state after the primary investor suddenly withdrew their funding.
  3. 5 family relations (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    related through only one parent.

    sharing only one parent rather than two.

    Example

    She has a half brother who lives in Australia.

    Example

    Although they are half sisters, they grew up in the same household and remain exceptionally close as adults.
  4. 6 partially (adv.)
    B1 Intermediate

    partly or not completely.

    to the extent of a half; partially or imperfectly.

    Example

    I was half asleep when the phone rang this morning.

    Example

    The instructions were only half understood, leading to several avoidable errors during the assembly process.
  5. 7 time-telling (prep.)
    A2 Elementary British English Dialect

    thirty minutes past the hour.

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

    Example

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

    Example

    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.

    Usage

    In British English, 'half' followed by a number (e.g., 'half ten') is a common shorthand for 'half past ten'.
    • half past
  6. 8 theatre warning (interj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Theatre

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

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

    Example

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

    Example

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

Origin

From Middle English half, halfe from Old English healf (“half”); as a noun, 'half', 'side', 'part', from Proto-West Germanic halb, from Proto-Germanic halbaz. Cognates Cognate with Old Saxon, Old Frisian, and Old Dutch half, West Frisian heal, Dutch half, German halb, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian halv, Icelandic hálfur and Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌻𐌱𐍃 (halbs). Compare halve, behalf.

Idioms15 entries

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