half
half
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "half" is /hæf/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds:
h: /h/ (voiceless glottal fricative) - The sound of "h" as in "hat."
æ: /æ/ (near-open front unrounded vowel) - The vowel sound as in "cat" or "trap."
f: /f/ (voiceless labiodental fricative) - The sound of "f" as in "fan."
Word Form Variations
half (singular) - A single unit or portion of something divided into two equal parts. Example: I ate half an apple.
halves (plural) - More than one half. Example: Cut the oranges into halves.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun:
Definition 1: One of two equal parts into which something is or can be divided.
Synonyms: portion, share, part, fraction, moiety
Antonyms: whole, entirety, total
Example: I ate half of the pizza.
Definition 2: (Often used in specific contexts) A portion representing approximately 50% of something, even if not perfectly equal.
Synonyms: near half, almost half, substantial portion
Antonyms: small portion, negligible part
Example: He spent half his savings on the trip.
Adjective:
Definition: Being one of two equal parts.
Synonyms: divided, bisected, halved
Antonyms: whole, complete, entire
Example: A half apple.
Definition 2 (Attributive): Relating to or approximately half of something.
Synonyms: partial, incomplete, fractional
Antonyms: full, complete
Example: A half measure.
Adverb:
Definition: To the extent of half; partially.
Synonyms: partly, partially, halfway
Antonyms: fully, completely, entirely
Example: The glass was half full.
Definition 2 (Informal): To a considerable extent; quite. (Often used with adjectives expressing degree).
Synonyms: rather, quite, somewhat
Antonyms: not at all, slightly
Example: I was half tempted to stay.
Verb:
Definition: To divide into two equal parts.
Synonyms: bisect, divide, split, halve
Antonyms: unite, combine, join, whole
Example: Please half the cake for us.
Examples of Use
Literature:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.1 Our English, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five, was in the comparatively blessed condition of a young gentleman in a half fashionable coat which he finds too tight in the arms; and as he is constrained to let it out, he hopes to add to his own distinction, if not to the beauty of his apparel." (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities)
News/Online Publications:
"Inflation eases slightly in July, but remains near half-century high." (Reuters, [hypothetical example - replace with actual article])
"The company reported a half-year profit increase of 15%." (Financial Times, [hypothetical example - replace with actual article])
Entertainment:
"I'm half the man I used to be." (Song lyric, [hypothetical example - replace with actual song])
"The movie is half comedy, half drama." (Film review, [hypothetical example - replace with actual review])
"The game went into half-time with the score tied." (Sports commentary, [hypothetical example - replace with actual game])
General Public Discourse:
"I'll meet you in half an hour." (Spoken conversation)
"I only ate half my sandwich." (Spoken conversation)
"They split the cost in half." (Spoken or written communication)
"Give me half the cookies." (Spoken conversation)
Social Media:
"Feeling half better today." (Social media post)
"Just finished half my workout." (Social media post)
These examples illustrate the versatile use of "half" as a noun, adjective, adverb, and verb in various real-world contexts. Remember to replace the hypothetical examples with actual citations where possible when using this information in your own work.
10 Famous Quotes Using Half
"There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire. The other is to get it. Both leave you only half alive." — George Bernard Shaw
"Half a truth is often a great lie." — Benjamin Franklin
"A half-read book is a half-finished love affair." — David Mitchell
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. Half measures never build mountains." — Confucius
"I would rather be a little nobody, than to be an evil somebody who only lives half a life." — Abraham Lincoln
"Half of the troubles of this life can be traced to saying yes too quickly and not saying no soon enough." — Josh Billings
"Better to be without logic than without feeling—logic can only take you halfway." — Carl Jung
"In politics, half measures and compromise are often the only measures." — John F. Kennedy
"Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it." — Robert Frost
"Half the battle is showing up." — Woody Allen
Etymology
The word "half" comes from Old English, specifically the word healf. This Old English word meant exactly what "half" means today: one of two equal parts. It's related to other old words in different languages, showing that this concept of dividing something in two is a really old idea. Think of it like a family of words spread across different languages.
The very first known use of healf (and therefore, "half") was way back in the mists of time, probably around the 700s AD. We don't have a specific document that says, "On this day, we used the word 'healf' for the first time!" Language evolves gradually. But we find it in very old writings from that period. So, the word "half" has been around, in pretty much the same form and meaning, for well over a thousand years!
So, in short: "half" comes from the Old English word healf, meaning one of two equal parts. It's been used in this way for a very long time, with its roots going back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It's a testament to how some basic concepts and the words we use for them can stick around for centuries.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Half
Common Phrases and Idioms:
Half a chance: A slight or remote possibility. "If I had half a chance, I'd go."
Half the battle: A significant part of what is needed to succeed. "Getting the interview is half the battle; now you have to impress them."
Half-baked: Incomplete, poorly thought out. "That's a half-baked idea; you need to develop it further."
Half-hearted: Lacking enthusiasm or commitment. "He made a half-hearted attempt to clean his room."
Half-mast/Half-staff: (Of a flag) flown at less than full height as a sign of mourning.
In half: Divided into two equal parts. "Cut the apple in half."
Meet someone halfway: To compromise; to reach a mutual agreement by giving up some demands.
Not half bad: Quite good; surprisingly good. (Informal) "That movie wasn't half bad!"
The other half: One's partner, especially a spouse. "Where's your other half?"
To go halves (with someone): To share the cost of something equally.
Less Common or More Literal Phrases:
Half a loaf is better than none: A proverb meaning it's better to have something than nothing at all.
Half in the bag: Slightly drunk. (Informal)
Half seas over: Very drunk. (Archaic)
Half the world away: A great distance. "He felt like he was half the world away from home."
Why "Half" Is Less Common in Idioms:
"Half" tends to be quite literal. Idioms often rely on metaphor and figurative language. While "half" can be part of a metaphor (like "half the battle"), it's less often the core of one. It describes a quantity or division, which is concrete rather than abstract.
Supplementing with Synonymous or Related Idioms:
Since "half" implies division, sharing, or incompleteness, we can look at idioms related to those concepts:
Sharing: "Split the difference," "Go fifty-fifty," "Share and share alike," "Even Steven."
Incompleteness: "A work in progress," "Still in its infancy," "Only just begun," "Tip of the iceberg," "A drop in the bucket," "A long way to go."
While these don't use "half," they capture some of the same underlying ideas. This helps illustrate how the concept of "half" is often expressed, even if the word itself isn't directly used in a common idiom.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of half from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
