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half 's

 - 4 dictionary results
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half

  [haf, hahf] noun, plural halves  [havz, hahvz] , adjective, adverb
Use half 's in a Sentence
–noun
1. one of two equal or approximately equal parts of a divisible whole, as an object, or unit of measure or time; a part of a whole equal or almost equal to the remainder.
2. a quantity or amount equal to such a part ( 1/2 ).
3. Sports. either of two equal periods of play, usually with an intermission or rest period separating them. Compare quarter (def. 10).
4. one of two; a part of a pair.
5. Informal.
a. half dollar.
b. the sum of 50 cents: Four dimes and two nickels make a half.
6. Baseball. either of the two units of play into which an inning is divided, the visiting team batting in the first unit and the home team batting in the second.
7. Football. a halfback.
8. British Informal.
a. a half-crown coin.
b. the sum of a half crown; two shillings, sixpence.
c. a half pint: He ordered a half of ale.
–adjective
9. being one of two equal or approximately equal parts of a divisible whole: a half quart.
10. being half or about half of anything in degree, amount, length, etc.: at half speed; half sleeve.
11. partial or incomplete: half measures.
–adverb
12. in or to the extent or measure of half.
13. in part; partly; incompletely: half understood.
14. to some extent; almost: half recovered.
—Idioms
15. by half, by very much; by far: She was too talented by half for her routine role.
16. half again as much or as many, as much as 50 percent more: This mug holds half again as much coffee as the smaller one.
17. half in two, Southern U.S. (chiefly Gulf States). in or into two parts; in half: Cut the cake half in two.
18. in half, divided into halves: The vase broke in half.
19. not half,
a. not at all; not really: His first attempts at painting are not half bad.
b. half (def. 15).
20. not the half of, a significant yet relatively minor part of something that remains to be described in full: He accused them of being responsible for the error, and that's not the half of the story. Also, not half of, not half.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME; OE h(e)alf; c. G Halb, ON halfr, Goth halbs

Synonyms:
13. barely, somewhat, partially; sort of.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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half   (hāf, häf)   
n.   pl. halves (hāvz, hävz)

    1. One of two equal parts that together constitute a whole.

    2. One part approximately equal to the remaining part.

    3. One of the two playing periods into which certain games are divided.

    4. A halfback.

  2. Informal A 50-cent piece.

  3. Sports

    1. One of the two playing periods into which certain games are divided.

    2. A halfback.

  4. Chiefly British A school term; a semester.

  5. Half an hour: a half past one.

adj.  

    1. Being one of two equal parts.

    2. Being approximately a half.

  2. Partial or incomplete: gave me a half smile.

adv.  

  1. To the extent of exactly or nearly 50 percent: The tank is half empty.

  2. Not completely or sufficiently; partly: only half right.


[Middle English, from Old English healf; see skel-1 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

half 
O.E. half, halb (Mercian), healf (W. Saxon) "side, part" (original sense preserved in behalf), from P.Gmc. *khalbas "something divided" (cf. O.N. halfr, O.Fris., M.Du. half, Ger. halb, Goth. halbs "half"). Used also in O.E. phrases as in modern Ger., to mean "one half unit less than," cf. þridda healf "two and a half," lit. "half third." The construction in two and a half, etc., is first recorded c.1200. Of time, in half past ten, etc., first attested 1750; in Scottish, the half often is prefixed to the following hour, as in Ger. (halb elf "ten thirty"). Half-and-half "ale and porter" is from 1756; half-baked in sense of "silly" is from 1855; half-breed "mixed race" is from 1760; half-blooded in this sense is from 1605. Half-brother (c.1330) and half-sister (c.1205) were in M.E.. Halftime in football is from 1871. half-truth is first recorded 1658; half-hearted is from 1611. To go off half-cocked "speak or act too hastily" (1833) is in allusion to firearms.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Financial Dictionary

half

One half of one point. For stock quotes, a half represents one half of $1, or 50¢. For bond quotes, a half represents one half of 1% of par, or $5. For option quotes, a half represents $50.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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