Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Half?

\Half\ (h[aum]f), a. [AS. healf, half, half; as a noun, half, side, part; akin to OS., OFries., & D. half, G. halb, Sw. half, Dan. halv, Icel. h[=a]lfr, Goth. halbs. Cf. {Halve}, {Behalf}.] 1. Consisting of a moiety, or half; as, a half bushel; a half hour; a half dollar; a half view. Note: The adjective and noun are often united to form a compound. 2. Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect; as, a half dream; half knowledge. Assumed from thence a half consent. --Tennyson. {Half ape} (Zo["o]l.), a lemur. {Half back}. (Football) See under 2d {Back}. {Half bent}, the first notch, for the sear point to enter, in the tumbler of a gunlock; the halfcock notch. {Half binding}, a style of bookbinding in which only the back and corners are in leather. {Half boarder}, one who boards in part; specifically, a scholar at a boarding school who takes dinner only. {Half-breadth plan} (Shipbuilding), a horizontal plan of the half a vessel, divided lengthwise, showing the lines. {Half cadence} (Mus.), a cadence on the dominant. {Half cap}, a slight salute with the cap. [Obs.] --Shak. {A half cock}, the position of the cock of a gun when retained by the first notch. {Half hitch}, a sailor's knot in a rope; half of a clove hitch. {Half hose}, short stockings; socks. {Half measure}, an imperfect or weak line of action. {Half note} (Mus.), a minim, one half of a semibreve. {Half pay}, half of the wages or salary; reduced pay; as, an officer on half pay. {Half price}, half the ordinary price; or a price much reduced. {Half round}. (a) (Arch.) A molding of semicircular section. (b) (Mech.) Having one side flat and the other rounded; -- said of a file. {Half shift} (Mus.), a position of the hand, between the open position and the first shift, in playing on the violin and kindred instruments. See {Shift}. {Half step} (Mus.), a semitone; the smallest difference of pitch or interval, used in music. {Half tide}, the time or state of the tide equally distant from ebb and flood. {Half time}, half the ordinary time for work or attendance; as, the half-time system. {Half tint} (Fine Arts), a middle or intermediate tint, as in drawing or painting. See {Demitint}. {Half truth}, a statement only partially true, or which gives only a part of the truth. --Mrs. Browning. {Half year}, the space of six months; one term of a school when there are two terms in a year.
\Half\, adv. In an equal part or degree; in some pa? appro?mating a half; partially; imperfectly; as, half-colored, half done, half-hearted, half persuaded, half conscious. ``Half loth and half consenting.'' --Dryden. Their children spoke halfin the speech of Ashdod. --Neh. xiii. 24
\Half\, n.; pl. {Halves}. [AS. healf. See {Half}, a.] 1. Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] --Wyclif. The four halves of the house. --Chaucer. 2. One of two equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided; -- sometimes followed by of; as, a half of an apple. Not half his riches known, and yet despised. --Milton. A friendship so complete Portioned in halves between us. --Tennyson. {Better half}. See under {Better}. {In half}, in two; an expression sometimes used improperly instead of in or into halves; as, to cut in half. [Colloq.] --Dickens. {In, or On}, {one's half}, in one's behalf; on one's part. [Obs.] {To cry halves}, to claim an equal share with another. {To go halves}, to share equally between two.
\Half\, v. t. To halve. [Obs.] See {Halve}. --Sir H. Wotton.