Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Half
Half
(häf)
, Adj.
1.
Consisting of a moiety, or half;
as, a
half
bushel; a half
hour; a half
dollar; a half
view.☞ 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
(Zool.)
, 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 one 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.
– At 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 part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly;
“Half loth and half consenting.” as,
. half
-colored, half
done, half
-hearted, half
persuaded, half
consciousDryden.
Their children spoke
half
in the speech of Ashdod. Neh. xiii. 24.
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 appleNot
half
his riches known, and yet despised. Milton.
A friendship so complete
Portioned in
Portioned in
halves
between us. Tennyson.
Better half
. See under
– Better
. In half
, in two; an expression sometimes used improperly instead of
in halves
or into halves
; as, to cut
. in half
[Colloq.]
Dickens.
– In one's half
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.
Webster 1828 Edition
Half
H`ALF
,Noun.
One equal part of a thing which is divided into two parts, either in fact or in contemplation; a moiety; as half a pound; half a tract of land; half an orange; half the miseries or pleasures of life. It is applied to quantity, number, length, and every thing susceptible of division. In practice, of is often or usually omitted after half. We say, half a pound; half a mile; half the number.
Half the misery of life.
H`ALF
,Verb.
T.
H`ALF
,adv.
Half loth, and half consenting.
In composition, half denotes an equal part; or indefinitely, a part, and hence, imperfect.