half

half
half O.E. half, halb (Mercian), healf (W. Saxon) "side, part," not necessarily of equal division (original sense preserved in behalf), noun, adjective, and adverb all in O.E., from P.Gmc. *khalbas "something divided" (Cf. O.S. halba, O.N. halfr, O.Fris., M.Du. half, Ger. halb, Goth. halbs "half"), perhaps from PIE (s)kel- "to cut." Used also in O.E. phrases as in modern German, to mean "one half unit less than," e.g. 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 German (e.g. halb elf "ten thirty"). To go off half-cocked "speak or act too hastily" (1833) is in allusion to firearms going off prematurely.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • half — [ hæf ] (plural halves [ hævz ] ) function word, quantifier *** Half can be used in the following ways: as a predeterminer (followed by a word such as a, the, this, or his ): We live half a mile up the road. I have to spend half my time taking… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • half — 1. Half functions as a noun or pronoun (the first half of the year / I ve still got half), an adjective (a half share) or predeterminer (i.e. placed before another determiner such as the, half the audience), and an adverb (He ll come half way / I …   Modern English usage

  • half — ► NOUN (pl. halves) 1) either of two equal or corresponding parts into which something is or can be divided. 2) either of two equal periods into which a match or performance is divided. 3) Brit. informal half a pint of beer. 4) informal a half… …   English terms dictionary

  • half — [haf, häf] n. pl. halves [ME < OE healf, part, half, akin to ON halfr, Ger halb < IE (s)kelep , lit., divided < base * (s)kel , to cut > SCALP, SKILL, HELM2] 1. a) either of the two equal parts of something [the top half of the sixth… …   English World dictionary

  • half — HALF, halfi, s.m. (Rar; la fotbal) Mijlocaş. – Din engl. half. Trimis de gall, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  HALF s. v. mijlocaş. Trimis de siveco, 13.09.2007. Sursa: Sinonime  half s. m., pl. halfi …   Dicționar Român

  • Half — (h[aum]f), n.; pl. {Halves} (h[aum]vz). [AS. healf. See {Half}, a.] 1. Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] Wyclif. [1913 Webster] The four halves of the house. Chaucer. [1913 Webster] 2. One of two equal parts into which anything may be divided, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Half — Half, adv. In an equal part or degree; in some part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly; as, half colored, half done, half hearted, half persuaded, half conscious. Half loth and half consenting. Dryden. [1913 Webster] Their children… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • half — hȁlf m <N mn ovi, G ōvā> DEFINICIJA sport zast. pretežno obrambeni igrač u nekim momčadskim igrama loptom (nogomet, hokej i sl.) zadužen da sprečava protivničke napadače u izvođenju napada i da se uključuje u ofenzivne akcije vlastite… …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • half- — sharing one parent, from HALF (Cf. half). Half brother is attested from early 14c.; half sister from c.1200 …   Etymology dictionary

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