n.
Pronunciation: ' haf, ' häf
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural halves \ ' havz, ' hävz \
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English healf; akin to Old High German halb half
Date: before 12th century
1 a : either of two equal parts that compose something also : a part approximately equal to one of these < half the distance> <the larger half of the fortune> b : half an hour ― used in designation of time
2 : one of a pair: as a : PARTNER b : SEMESTER , TERM c : either of the two equal periods that together make up the playing time of some games (as football) also : the midpoint in playing time <the score was tied at the half >
3 : HALF-DOLLAR
4 : HALFBACK
– by half : by a great deal
– by halves : in part : HALFHEARTEDLY
– half again as : one-and-a-half times as < half again as many>
– in half : into two equal or nearly equal parts