half
half — noun
1. When you separate something into two portions of the same size, each portion is
When you separate something into two portions of the same size, each portion is called a half.
Eli cut the apple into two halves and gave one to his sister.
cut into two halves
More than half of the students in this class come from Taiwan.
more than half of [group]
Add half a teaspoon of salt to the mixture and stir well.
The Watanabe family spent half their income on rent each month.
half [possessive] [noun]
- half of
- a half
- half the
- one and a half
- two halves
- whole
the entire thing rather than one part of it
Grammar Patterns
half of [noun phrase]
a/the half of [noun phrase]
[number] and a half
Common Mistakes
2. A large part of something; used before a noun to emphasise that a major portion
A large part of something; used before a noun to emphasise that a major portion of something is involved.
Half the fun of travelling is discovering new foods along the way.
half the fun / half the [abstract noun]
Half the time I have no idea what my younger brother is talking about.
Owen said half the pleasure of hiking is the quiet moments on the trail.
half the pleasure (fixed expression)
Half the reason we visit Grandma is to eat her homemade dumplings.
- half the fun
- half the time
- half the point
- much of
more neutral and less emphatic
- a large part of
more explicit and formal
Grammar Patterns
half the [noun] (meaning a large part of [noun])
Usage Note
Frequently occurs in fixed expressions such as 'half the fun', 'half the point', or 'half the beauty', where it conveys that a large part of something's value or nature lies in a particular aspect.
Common Mistakes
3. Thirty minutes after a particular hour, used when telling the time.
Thirty minutes after a particular hour, used when telling the time.
The class starts at half past nine every Tuesday morning.
half past [hour]
Élise said she would meet us outside the cinema at half seven.
half [hour] (British: omitting 'past')
The doctor's appointment is at half past two this afternoon.
We arrived at half past eight, but the show had already started.
- half past
- half seven
- half past nine
- half after
used in American English instead of 'half past'
Grammar Patterns
half past [hour]
half [hour] (British informal)
Common Mistakes
4. To some degree but not completely; used to show that something is only partially
To some degree but not completely; used to show that something is only partially true or present.
Adina spoke half in anger and half in sadness about what had happened.
half in X, half in Y (paired structure)
Christopher was only half listening while scrolling through his messages.
When Tarik asked if he was serious, he gave a half smile and shrugged.
half [noun] — partial state
The children were half asleep by the time the movie ended.
- half in
- half listening
- half joking
- half smiling
- completely
the full degree, not partial
- fully
entirely, with nothing missing
Grammar Patterns
half [adjective]
half in [state A], half in [state B]
Usage Note
Commonly appears in paired expressions like 'half in [emotion A], half in [emotion B]' to describe mixed feelings or partial involvement.
5. An arrangement where two people split a payment and each pays half of the total.
An arrangement where two people split a payment and each pays half of the total.
Sahil and I went halves on the takeaway order since we both wanted noodles.
go halves on [item]
If you buy the train tickets now, I will go halves with you later.
go halves with [person]
Vinícius and his flatmate go halves on the electricity bill every month.
My sister offered to go halves on a birthday gift for our mother.
- go halves
- go halves on
- go halves with
- split
more general; can mean any division, not necessarily equal
- share the cost
more formal; does not specify equal division
Grammar Patterns
go halves (with [person]) (on [item])
Usage Note
Typically used in informal spoken English. The phrase 'go halves' is fixed — 'half' stays plural even though only two people are involved.
Common Mistakes
6. A mixture in which two different things are present in equal amounts.
A mixture in which two different things are present in equal amounts.
The drink is made half and half with orange juice and sparkling water.
half and half (equal-mixture phrase)
The audience was half and half — about fifty men and fifty women attended.
Kemi prefers her coffee half and half with hot milk instead of water.
half and half with [ingredient]
The votes were split half and half between the two candidates.
- half and half
- half and half with
- fifty-fifty
more informal; often used for probabilities or opinions as well as mixtures
- equal parts
more formal and literal
Grammar Patterns
half and half [noun]
[noun] is half and half
Common Mistakes
7. a quantity that is only one half of another quantity, used for saying that somet
a quantity that is only one half of another quantity, used for saying that something is much smaller in size, number, or amount than a different thing
The guest room was half the size of the main bedroom and barely fit a single bed.
half the size of — comparing two amounts
Devika earns half as much as her cousin even though she has more experience.
Iris bought a used car for half the price of a brand new model.
half the price of — cost comparison
Chidi cut the wooden board to half its original length for the shelf project.
- half the size
- half the amount
- half as much
- half as many
Grammar Patterns
half + the + noun + of
half + as + adjective + as
Usage Note
Often appears in the patterns 'half the [noun] of [something]' or 'half as [adjective] as [something]'.
8. an additional fifty percent added to a starting figure, bringing the total to on
an additional fifty percent added to a starting figure, bringing the total to one and a half times that figure
The small pizza costs $8, but the large one is half as much again at $12.
half as much again — adding 50% to an amount
Eli's team had twenty members last year, and now they have half as many again.
The train takes one hour, but the bus takes half as long again.
half as long again — time comparison
Darius needed half as much again to cover the unexpected repair costs on his house.
- half as much again
- half as many again
Grammar Patterns
half + as + much/many + again + as
Usage Note
This structure is more common in British English; American English more frequently uses 'fifty percent more'.
Common Mistakes
9. each of the two roughly equal time segments that a game or show is split into, w
each of the two roughly equal time segments that a game or show is split into, with a rest in between
The home team led 2–1 at the end of the first half of the match.
first half / second half — game time divisions
During the second half of the concert, the pianist played two pieces by Chopin.
The coach gave the team an energetic talk during the break between the two halves.
break between the two halves
Leo scored his first goal of the season in the first half of the match.
- first half
- second half
Grammar Patterns
the + ordinal + half
first half
second half
10. in team sports such as football, rugby, or hockey, one of the two sections of th
in team sports such as football, rugby, or hockey, one of the two sections of the playing field that belong to a particular team during a game
The goalkeeper rarely leaves his own half of the pitch during a match.
own half — possessive for team territory
Sayaka dribbled past two defenders in the opponent's half and passed to the striker.
Brandon passed the ball back to his own half when the attack broke down.
own half — retreat to defensive area
Lara covered every corner of her half of the court during the tennis match.
- own half
- opponent's half
Grammar Patterns
[possessive] + half
11. in sports such as rugby, hockey, and American football, a team member who plays
in sports such as rugby, hockey, and American football, a team member who plays in the middle zone of the field, linking the defensive and attacking players
The team's half intercepted the ball and quickly passed it to the forwards.
half as short form of 'halfback'
In rugby, a good half makes fast decisions and communicates well with the team.
Mayumi played as a half for the national hockey team for five seasons.
played as a half — position role
The team's half made a brilliant tackle to stop the opponent's attack.
- team's half
- good half
- halfback
the full term; 'half' is a shortened form used especially in British and Commonwealth sports contexts
Usage Note
'Half' is a shortened form of 'halfback'. The exact role varies by sport: in rugby it refers to the scrum-half or fly-half; in American football, it refers to a running back position.
12. in golf, a result on a single hole where two players end with the same number of
in golf, a result on a single hole where two players end with the same number of strokes, so neither player wins that hole
Both players finished the tenth hole in four strokes, so it was a half.
a half — tied golf score on one hole
Park won on the eighteenth green after the first seventeen holes all ended in halves.
The first three holes all ended in halves, so neither player had a clear lead.
ended in halves — tied results on multiple holes
Emily and her opponent recorded a half on the thirteenth hole after three putts each.
- a half
- end in a half
13. a glass of beer, cider, or another drink served in a British pub that is half th
a glass of beer, cider, or another drink served in a British pub that is half the size of a full pint, containing about 284 millilitres
The landlord poured Ezra a half of bitter and placed it on the bar.
a half of [drink] — common order phrase in British pubs
Lien ordered a half of lager while waiting for her fish and chips.
At the Queen's Head, Karim always asks for a half because he is driving home.
'a half' as a standalone noun meaning half a pint
The barman served Wei's half of cider with a thick, creamy head.
Henry bought a half of shandy and took it out to the beer garden.
- a half of lager
- a half of bitter
- a half of cider
- ask for a half
- order a half
- pint
full pint — the standard larger serving size
Grammar Patterns
a half of [drink]
a half
Usage Note
Common in British and Irish pubs when ordering beer or cider. A full pint (about 568 ml) is the standard larger serving, and asking for 'a half' is a way to have a smaller amount.
Common Mistakes
14. a cheaper ticket for a child to travel on a bus or train, or to enter a cinema,
a cheaper ticket for a child to travel on a bus or train, or to enter a cinema, museum, or similar place
We bought two adult tickets and one half for Mia at the cinema.
'a half' as a noun meaning a child's ticket at ticket counters
Beatriz showed her student card and paid for a half on the bus.
Faisal asked for a half at the museum desk for his younger sister.
ask for a half = request a child/admission ticket
The train conductor checked the half that Élise had bought for her son.
Mark saved money by getting a half for each of the children at the zoo.
- buy a half
- ask for a half
- a half for a child
- two halves
- child ticket
more formal and clearer term
- adult ticket
full-price ticket for an adult
Grammar Patterns
a half
two halves
Usage Note
Frequently used at transport ticket offices, cinemas, and museums in the UK. You usually need to show that the child is below a certain age (e.g. under 16).
Common Mistakes
and a half
idiomUsed to emphasize that something is bigger, better, or more extreme than usual.
That was a meal and a half; I can't eat another bite.
Her performance was a show and a half, amazing everyone.
To do everything with great effort and completeness, never half-heartedly.
Maya never does anything by halves; she always gives 100%.
When Brian renovates a house, he does nothing by halves.
To share the cost of something equally with another person.
Sara and Diego went halves on the dinner bill.
Let's go half and half on the taxi fare.
the half of it
idiomUsed in negative sentences to indicate that a situation is even worse or more complicated than someone thinks.
You think this is hard? You don't know the half of it.
The project is behind schedule, but that's not the half of it.
Used to say that you are seriously considering doing something, though you may not be completely sure.
I have half a mind to call the manager about this.
She had a good mind to leave the party early.
The way of life of people in a different social group, especially those much richer or poorer than you.
Visiting the mansion showed us how the other half lives.
The documentary explores how the other half lives in poverty.
Used to say that two choices are essentially the same or have no real difference.
Whether we go by train or bus, it's six of one and half a dozen of the other.
Choosing between the two jobs is six of one and half a dozen of the other.
time and a half
idiomOne and a half times the normal rate of pay, often given for overtime work.
Employees receive time and a half for working on holidays.
Aiden earned time and a half for his extra hours last week.
Used to say that someone is too clever or has too much of a quality in a way that is annoying or makes you distrust them.
That salesman is too smooth by half; I don't trust him.
Her explanation was too clever by half and seemed dishonest.
half — adjective
1. describing one of two identical portions that together form a complete item or q
describing one of two identical portions that together form a complete item or quantity
Pedro ate only half an apple and saved the rest for later.
half a/an + noun for one of two equal parts
Mizuki spent half her pocket money on a new book.
The recipe asks for half a cup of sugar and two cups of flour.
half a + measure word for exact quantities
Over half the students in the class come from other towns.
- half a/an
- half the
- half of
2. referring to an amount that is near a half, without being a precise fifty percen
referring to an amount that is near a half, without being a precise fifty percent
Half the guests left before nine o'clock because of the rain.
Reuben spends half his evenings studying for exams.
half + possessive + time period for habitual actions
Jabari guessed that half the audience had never heard that band before.
half + the + collective noun for estimated proportion
The bus was half empty when it pulled into the station at noon.
half + adjective for describing state of container or space
- half the
- half of
Usage Note
In this sense the speaker is estimating, not giving an exact calculation of fifty percent.
3. done or achieved to a limited degree, not reaching the full or intended standard
done or achieved to a limited degree, not reaching the full or intended standard
The manager said half measures would not solve the company's problems.
collocation: half measures
Saira gave a half smile and looked away without saying anything.
collocation: half smile
The report was only a half attempt at explaining what went wrong.
The committee rejected the idea as a half solution to the housing problem.
collocation: half solution
- half measures
- half truth
- half smile
- half-hearted
- partial
more formal; often used in official or technical writing
- incomplete
focuses on missing parts rather than limited effort
Usage Note
Commonly appears in fixed combinations such as half measure, half truth, half smile, and half-hearted. These describe something only partly done or expressed.
4. reaching or affecting only a single portion of a space, line, or surface
reaching or affecting only a single portion of a space, line, or surface
A half smile crept across Ramón's face when he heard the joke.
The team ran only half the distance before stopping for water.
half + the + distance / way / journey for spatial extent
The moon cast a half circle of light on the bedroom floor.
Emre drew a half circle on the board with a piece of blue chalk.
half + shape noun for partial figures
- half the distance
- half the way
- half circle
- half smile
- full
covering the entire extent or surface
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 divides a whole into two equal portions (half the apple), while sense 4 describes something extending only partway across a span (half the distance, half smile).
half — adverb
1. in a way that divides something into two equal amounts or shares, so that each p
in a way that divides something into two equal amounts or shares, so that each person or part gets the same as the other.
Arjun and Mert split the prize money half and half.
collocation: half and half (in equal shares)
The new car uses half as much fuel as the old van.
pattern: half as much + noun + as
The farmland was divided half into wheat fields and half into pasture.
Otis earns half as much as his sister does at the factory.
pattern: half as much as
- half and half
- half as much
- half as many
- half as large
- half as long
- equally
neutral and widely used; 'half' implies exactly 50%, while 'equally' can refer to any fair division
- fifty-fifty
informal, used mainly for sharing costs or outcomes
- in equal measure
more formal; used with abstract nouns such as 'love and respect'
- unequally
not in equal amounts or shares
Grammar Patterns
half + as + much/many + as
half and half
Usage Note
Common in comparative structures with 'as' to show a 50% difference in amount or degree. The phrase 'half and half' is a fixed adverbial expression meaning in equal parts.
Common Mistakes
2. to some extent but not completely; used before adjectives or past participles to
to some extent but not completely; used before adjectives or past participles to describe a state that is only partly true or only partly achieved.
Tomás was only half awake when his alarm clock rang at six.
collocation: half awake
The old wooden door stood half open in the warm summer breeze.
collocation: half open
Yael had only half finished her homework when the power went out.
The café windows were half covered with red checked curtains.
- half awake
- half asleep
- half open
- half closed
- half finished
- half empty
- half full
- half dressed
- half hidden
- half believing
- half expecting
- completely
fully; the opposite of partial
- fully
to the greatest possible extent
Grammar Patterns
half + adjective/past participle
half + verb (limited set)
Usage Note
Most commonly placed directly before adjectives (half asleep, half empty) and past participles (half finished, half closed). Only a limited set of main verbs accept this modifier — 'half know,' 'half believe,' 'half expect' are idiomatic; 'half eat,' 'half run' are not.
Common Mistakes
3. to any degree whatsoever — used mainly in negative statements or fixed informal
to any degree whatsoever — used mainly in negative statements or fixed informal expressions to either deny something completely or, in British English, to emphasize a strong positive feeling.
The new Thai restaurant downtown was not half bad, actually.
fixed idiom: not half bad (surprisingly good)
Christopher said he did not half enjoy the concert last weekend.
informal British: 'not half' as strong emphasis
Bao's cooking is not half as good as her mother's famous dishes.
pattern: not half as + adjective + as
Obi was not half ready for the exam, despite studying all week.
- not half bad
- not half as
- not half + verb
- at all
neutral; used in negatives to add emphasis ('not at all')
- in the least
slightly more formal than 'at all'
Grammar Patterns
not half + adjective
not half + verb
Usage Note
Almost always in negative constructions. The fixed phrase 'not half bad' is a British informal idiom meaning 'surprisingly good.' In British slang, 'not half' alone can mean 'very much' ('Do you like it? — Not half!'). Outside these expressions, 'not half' before an adjective simply negates the degree ('not half as tall' = much less tall).
Common Mistakes
Word family
- halveverbB1
- halfwayadverbB1
- halfwayadjectiveB1
- half-heartedadjectiveB2
- half-timenounA2
- half-brothernounB1
- half-sisternounB1
- half-priceadjectiveA2
- half-priceadverbA2
- half-termnounB1
- half-yearlyadjectiveC1
- half-yearlyadverbC1
- halfpennynounC1
- half-lengthadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/1
Half refers specifically to exactly one of two equal parts (50% of the whole). Part is much broader — it can mean any piece or segment of something, regardless of size or proportion ('Part of the roof was damaged'). Portion is more formal than part and often implies a share that has been deliberately allocated ('She served herself a generous portion of rice'). Fifty percent is interchangeable with half in numerical or statistical contexts ('Fifty percent of voters agreed') but sounds more technical and less natural in everyday speech about everyday objects ('half an apple', not 'fifty percent of an apple'). Use half when you mean exactly two equal divisions; use part or portion when the division is not exactly half or when the exact proportion is unknown.
Common collocations
Nouns
- half the time
- half the fun
- half the price
- half the size
- half the distance
Phrases
- half and half
- half past
- half as much
- half as many
- one and a half
- half of
- go halves
- not half
- half a/an
Prepositions
- in half
- by half
- into halves
Etymology
Half traces back to the Old English word 'healf', which meant 'side, part, or half'. It comes from the Proto-Germanic root *halbaz ('divided, split'), making it a cousin of German 'halb', Dutch 'half', and Old Norse 'halfr'. The original idea was that something had been cut or split — creating two sides or parts. This ancient sense of division is still at the heart of the word's meaning today.