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.
   
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         Their children spoke halfin the speech of Ashdod.
                                                  --Neh. xiii.
                                                  24.
   
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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.
      
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   Note: The adjective and noun are often united to form a
         compound.
         
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   2. Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half;
      approximately a half, whether more or less; partial;
      imperfect; as, a half dream; half knowledge.
      
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            Assumed from thence a half consent.   --Tennyson.
      
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   {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.
      
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Half \Half\ (h[aum]f), n.; pl. {Halves} (h[aum]vz). [AS. healf.
   See {Half}, a.]
   1. Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] --Wyclif.
      
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            The four halves of the house.         --Chaucer.
      
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   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.
      
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            Not half his riches known, and yet despised.
                                                  --Milton.
      
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            A friendship so complete
            Portioned in halves between us.       --Tennyson.
      
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   {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 ones half} or {On ones 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.
      
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Half \Half\, v. t.
   To halve. [Obs.] See {Halve}. --Sir H. Wotton.
   
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half
     adj 1: consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or
            quantity; "a half chicken"; "lasted a half hour" [syn:
             {half(a)}]
     2: partial; "gave me a half smile"; "he did only a half job"
        [syn: {half(a)}]
     3: (of siblings) related through one parent only; "a half
        brother"; "half sister" [ant: {whole}]
     n 1: one of two equal parts of a divisible whole; "half a loaf";
          "half an hour"; "a century and one half" [syn: {one-half}]
     2: in various games or performances: either of two periods of
        play separated by an interval
     adv : partially or to the extent of a half; "he was half hidden by
           the bushes"
     [also: {halves} (pl)]

74 Moby Thesaurus words for "half":
   allotment, allowance, big end, bigger half, bisection, bit, bite,
   budget, chunk, commission, contingent, cut, deal, destiny,
   distributional, distributive, dividend, dole, end, equal,
   equal share, equidistance, even stephen, fate, fifty percent,
   fifty-fifty, half-and-half, halfway, halfway house, halver,
   halvers, helping, hemisphere, interest, lot, measure, mediety,
   meed, mess, mid-distance, midcourse, middle distance, midway,
   modicum, moiety, one-and-a-half, part, partial, particular, partly,
   per capita, per head, percentage, piece, portion, pro rata,
   proportion, proportional, proportionate, prorated, quantum, quota,
   rake-off, ration, respective, segment, semicircle, semisphere,
   several, share, slice, small share, stake, stock

HALF. One equal part of a thing divided into two parts, either in fact or in 
contemplation. A moiety. This word is used in composition; as, half cent, 
half dime, &c. 

HALF, n.  One of two equal parts into which a thing may be divided, or
considered as divided.  In the fourteenth century a heated discussion
arose among theologists and philosophers as to whether Omniscience
could part an object into three halves; and the pious Father
Aldrovinus publicly prayed in the cathedral at Rouen that God would
demonstrate the affirmative of the proposition in some signal and
unmistakable way, and particularly (if it should please Him) upon the
body of that hardy blasphemer, Manutius Procinus, who maintained the
negative.  Procinus, however, was spared to die of the bite of a
viper.