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halberd
halcyon
halcyon days
haldi
hale (1)
hale (2)
Haleakala National Park
haler
half
half-a-crown
half-and-half
half-assed
half-baked
half binding
half blood
half-blooded
half-blue
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World English Dictionary
Dictionnaire Français

half
half [ haf ]


noun,

adjective,

pron  (plural halves [ havz ])
Definition:
 
one of two equal parts: either of two equal or nearly equal parts into which a whole can be divided
 (n) Arrange the apricot halves in a gratin dish.
 (n) The recession began in the second half of 1990.
 (adj) You don't have to pay for the first half hour.
 (adj) I'll pay half the bill.
 (pron) I invited 20, but only half showed up.


noun  (plural halves [ havz ])
Definition:
 
1. U.S. sports time between periods: the break between two playing periods in a game
Canadian term  halftime
The score was tied at the half.
2. sports playing period: either of two periods of play into which some games are divided
We started off well but failed to score in the second half.
3. money 
Same as  half-dollar
4. sports halfback: a halfback in any sport
5. U.K. lower fare: a fare costing more or less half the ordinary amount on public transportation, usually for a child or senior citizen
Two and two halves please.
6. U.K. measure of beer: a half pint of beer, lager, or cider


adjective,

adverb 
Definition:
 
1. partial: to some extent but not complete or completely
 (adj) She gave me a half-smile
 (adv) She was half laughing, half crying
2. equally: in equal parts
 (adj) We each have half ownership in the building.
 (adv) He's half French, half Spanish.
[ Old English healf< Germanic]

by half to a too great extent
I don't trust him - he's too friendly by half.
go halves (with somebody) to share something equally with somebody
If we go halves on the gas the trip shouldn't be too expensive.
not do things by halves to do things thoroughly and often on a large scale
not half 

1. not at all
Mmm! This cake's not half bad! 

2. much less than half
She's not half as busy as you are.
This isn't half the fun I thought it would be. 

3. U.K. used as an understatement to indicate enthusiasm (informal)
Just look at them - his new girlfriend can't half dance!

Word Usage
Singular or plural?

The pronoun half is singular, but the word is treated as plural when followed by a plural noun (with or without of) or when it refers to a plural: Half the people are late.The other half of them aren't coming at all.At least half are behaving inexcusably. With many singular nouns, half can be used in the forms half a share, half of a share, and a half share.
Encarta® World English Dictionary [North American Edition] © & (P)2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
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