half
A1Neutral - used in all registers from highly formal to casual.
Definition
Meaning
One of two equal parts of something; 50%.
A part of something, approximately but not exactly 50%; a period of time marking the midpoint of an event (e.g., a sports match); a fraction (½); a discount of 50% (half-price).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a determiner/pronoun, 'half' is followed by 'of' before a pronoun ('half of them') or can be used directly before a noun with a determiner ('half the cake'). In measurements, it precedes the unit ('half an hour').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In time expressions, BrE uses 'half past [hour]' (half past three). AmE can use this but also commonly uses '[hour] thirty' (three thirty). In sports, 'half-time' (BrE) vs. 'halftime' (AmE) spelling. 'A half' as a noun (e.g., 'a half of lager') is common in BrE pub contexts, less so in AmE.
Connotations
Similar core meaning. 'Half' in compound nouns like 'half-sister' is neutral in both. 'Half-baked' (poorly conceived) is equally idiomatic.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties. Slight differences in collocational preferences (e.g., 'half term' school holiday is primarily BrE).
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
half (of) + NP (Half (of) the students left.)half + measurement noun (half a mile)half + past + hourverb + in half (Fold the paper in half.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “half the battle”
- “go off half-cocked”
- “meet someone halfway”
- “not do things by halves”
- “half as much/many again”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The project is half finished.' 'We offer a half-price sale.'
Academic
'The sample was divided into two halves.' 'Half-life is a key concept in chemistry.'
Everyday
'I'll have half a pint, please.' 'It's half past five.'
Technical
'The half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years.' 'In rugby, the first half lasted 40 minutes.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company will half its carbon emissions by 2030. (Less common, but used in formal/news contexts.)
American English
- The coach decided to half the practice time due to the heat. (Rare, 'halve' is standard.)
adverb
British English
- The tank is half full.
- I'm half expecting him to cancel.
American English
- The glass was half empty.
- She half joked about quitting her job.
adjective
British English
- She could only give a half-hearted apology.
- We took a half-day trip to the coast.
American English
- It was a half-baked idea from the start.
- He ordered a half-pound burger.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I ate half an apple.
- The film starts at half past seven.
- Can I have half of your chocolate?
- Roughly half the participants completed the survey.
- The first half of the match was very exciting.
- These shoes are half price today.
- She argued that we had only solved half the problem.
- The politician's statement was, at best, a half-truth.
- We agreed to meet halfway between our two offices.
- His half-brother from his father's first marriage attended the wedding.
- The reactor's fuel has a half-life of several millennia.
- The proposal was rejected for relying on half-measures.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a laughing 'HA' sound. You laugh 'HA!' when you get something for HALF price.
Conceptual Metaphor
PART-WHOLE (a half is a part of a whole); PROGRESS (halfway there); QUALITY (half-hearted, not full commitment).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'полтора' as 'half'. 'Полтора' is 'one and a half'. 'Полчаса' is 'half an hour', not 'half hour'. Beware of false friends: 'половина' is 'half', but 'наполовину' is 'half' as an adverb ('half-finished').
Common Mistakes
- Using 'a half' incorrectly: 'I waited for half a hour' (incorrect) vs. 'half an hour'. Forgetting the plural: 'one and a half hour' (incorrect) vs. 'one and a half hours'. Confusing 'half of' usage before pronouns: 'Half them agreed' (informal/incorrect in formal writing) vs. 'Half of them agreed'.
Practice
Quiz
Which phrase means 'to compromise'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are often correct. Use 'half of' before a pronoun ('half of us'). Before a noun with a determiner (the, my, these), you can use either 'half' or 'half of' ('half (of) the cake'). Before a noun without a determiner, use 'half' ('half a mile').
The standard plural is 'halves' (e.g., 'two halves make a whole'). The form 'halfs' is non-standard and considered an error, except in very informal contexts or specific slang.
'Half' is primarily a noun, determiner, adjective, or adverb. 'Halve' is a verb meaning 'to divide into two equal parts' or 'to reduce by 50%' (e.g., 'Halve the cherry tomatoes.' 'The new process halved the costs.').
Say 'one and a half'. Note that it is followed by a plural noun: 'one and a half hours', 'one and a half kilometres'. The symbol ½ is read as 'a half' or 'one half'.