halve
C1Neutral to formal in mathematical/quantitative contexts; neutral in everyday use.
Definition
Meaning
To divide something into two equal parts.
To reduce something by half; to share something equally with another person; in golf, to tie a hole.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb is morphologically related to the noun 'half'. It implies a precise, often intentional, division or reduction by exactly 50%.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. The golf usage ('halve a hole/match') is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK financial/business reporting (e.g., 'profits halved'), but common in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[S] + halve + [O] (transitive)[O] + halve (intransitive, e.g., 'Profits halved.')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Halve the debt and double the fun. (proverbial)”
- “To halve one's sorrows and double one's joys.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to describe sharp reductions in costs, profits, or time: 'The new strategy aims to halve production costs.'
Academic
Common in mathematics, economics, and scientific reporting of data reduction.
Everyday
Used for sharing food, reducing personal expenses, or dividing tasks.
Technical
Used in computing (halving algorithms), engineering (halving measurements), and golf.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The council plans to halve carbon emissions by 2030.
- Shall we halve the bill?
- He halved the peach and removed the stone.
American English
- The company will halve its workforce in the restructuring.
- Let's halve the pizza.
- The new medication halved the recovery time.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
adjective
British English
- Not applicable.
American English
- Not applicable.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Halve the apple, please.
- We can halve the chocolate.
- The recipe says to halve the tomatoes.
- They agreed to halve the costs of the trip.
- The government aims to halve childhood obesity rates in a decade.
- Investments halved during the economic crisis.
- Advanced algorithms can halve the processing time for complex datasets.
- The treaty commits signatory nations to halve their carbon footprint by 2040.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'half' plus 'v' for 'verb' – the verb to make something into a half.
Conceptual Metaphor
SYMMETRY IS FAIRNESS (to halve is to create equal, mirrored parts); REDUCTION IS SHRINKING.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'to have'.
- The Russian verb 'делить пополам' is a direct equivalent, but avoid using 'half' as a verb (*'to half').
Common Mistakes
- *I will half the cake. (Incorrect use of noun 'half' as verb)
- Confusion in spelling with 'have'.
- Using 'halve' for reductions that are not precisely 50%.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'halve' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is very commonly used for abstract quantities like time, cost, risk, and numbers.
The related noun is 'half'. The act of halving can be called 'halving' (gerund/noun).
Yes, e.g., 'The value of the stock halved in a week.' Here, the subject undergoes the change.
'Halve' specifies division into two *equal* parts. 'Split' can be into any number of parts, equal or unequal.