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half

half

113 1.0
A brother or sister who has only one parent in common
  • adjective
  • /hæf/
: medio hermano
  • THEY'RE HALF-BROTHER AND -SISTER TO THE NEW PARSON'S WIFE.
  • a half-brother
  • a half-sister

But he has, he has siblings, half siblings who are also deaf.

Examples

  • They're half brother and sister; same mom, different dad.

    Blog text (13)
  • We're half brothers.

  • Look, what about your half, half brothers?

  • I think she was like half Jewish, half black girl.

  • A person can be half French and half Arabic and even be a citizen of two countries.

    Academic text (1996)
  • But he has, he has siblings, half siblings who are also deaf.

  • Apparently, Constance and Felicia are half sisters.

  • The Pattersons were Bravas, half African-American, half Portuguese.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Keecia: FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY I'M VERY PROUD TO BE HALF KOREAN.

  • The two boys, ages five and eight, are half brothers from their father's previous relationship.

Antonyms

6.5

A person who has the same mother and father

Idioms

At a cost that is half the usual amount

the half of it
  • Informal
11 6.5

Only part of the story is known, with much more hidden

half a mind
  • Informal
9 7.5

A feeling of wanting to do something but not being sure

not half bad
  • Informal
8 7.4

Better than you expected

glass half-empty
  • Informal
7 6.5

A person who often sees the negative side of things

4 8.1

To act or speak without thinking first and cause problems

To focus on the good parts of a situation instead of the bad

Acting too smart so it annoys other people and causes problems

1 5.2

Served on the bottom shell only without the top shell

half an ear
  • Informal
1 7.1

To listen without giving full attention

half an eye
  • Informal
1 8.8

To notice or understand what is happening with little attention

1 8.1

A very good deal that is worth more than its low price

1 9.2

To act too quickly without thinking first

1 9.9

Everywhere in a hurried, messy way like people searching quickly

half pregnant
  • Informal
1 9.8

Only a full decision is possible, with no room for partial support

half a head
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who is foolish and lacks common sense

To take a very long time and cause a lot of trouble

Two choices that are almost the same and make no real difference

Compounds

835 1.0

A period of thirty minutes

198 1.0

A group of six things or people

168 1.0

The first period of a game when play is split into two equal parts

153 1.6

The later part of a game after halftime

133 1.0

One of two equal parts of something

122 1.0

A group of six people or things

113 1.0

A distance equal to half a mile, about 800 metres

A time that lasts 90 minutes

104 3.0

A period of fifty years

54 2.1

A brother who has only one parent in common with you

44 1.1

Available for half the usual price

40 1.4

The later part of a game or match after the break

half-naked
  • NSFW
40 3.0

Wearing only a few clothes with much of the body uncovered

38 1.1

A sister who shares one parent with you but not both

38 1.0

Six things or people that form a group

half-breed
  • Slur
27 9.9

An offensive word for a person with one Indigenous and one European parent

24 2.3

A sister who shares one parent with you but not both parents

23 3.2

Divided equally between two people

21 6.7

A statement that is partly true but leaves out important facts to mislead

half-baked
  • Informal
20 6.5

Not fully planned or sensible

20 3.1

Measuring half the usual size

19 3.2

Working or happening for only half the usual hours

better half
  • Informal
19 3.3

A person someone is married to or lives with, said in a friendly, joking way

half-life
  • Specialized
18 5.6

Time it takes for a substance to drop to half its original amount

half-wit
  • Offensive
17 8.9

A rude word for a person who seems very stupid

16 1.0

A weight equal to eight ounces

13 3.0

The person you love and share your life with

10 3.2

The middle area of a basketball court near the center line

10 7.0

An animal whose one parent is pure and the other parent is mixed

10 4.6

A shell cut in half that serves as a dish for oysters or clams

9 2.0

A mix of milk and cream often added to coffee

glass-half-full
  • Informal
9 5.8

Seeing the good side of things

half-staff
  • Formal
8 7.1

A position partway down a flagpole where a flag flies to show respect after a death

8 3.4

Only partly finished and not ready to use

7 3.8

A flag placed partway down its pole to show mourning or respect

6 2.6

A time when half of the Moon appears lit by the Sun

4 6.7

A soft dim glow when things are only partly seen, like at dawn or dusk

Pay equal to one and a half times the normal rate for overtime work

4 1.4

A United States coin worth fifty cents

3 2.5

One of two equal parts of a printed sheet used for text or an ad

3 2.6

A small glass of drink about half the size of a pint, often for beer or milk

2 2.1

A short school holiday about halfway through a term

half-cock
  • Informal
2 9.9

A messy situation when people do not plan enough

2 9.3

An animal with only one purebred parent

half-caste
  • Slur
2 9.9

A hurtful word for a person of mixed race

half-pint
  • Offensive
2 8.2

A rude name for a small or short person, often a child

2 7.8

Very frightened or upset and not thinking clearly

2 5.1

A remark that is partly a joke and partly serious

half nelson
  • Jargon
2 7.4

A wrestling hold where one arm goes under the opponent's arm and presses the back of the neck

half-track
  • Specialized
1 8.8

Having front wheels and back tracks like a military vehicle

half-pay
  • Archaic
1 7.0

A smaller amount of money given to a worker who is not working full time but is still employed

half step
  • Specialized
1 4.4

The smallest jump between two notes in Western music, one piano key apart

1 4.1

A day when people do not work for half the usual time

half hitch
  • Specialized
1 6.5

A simple knot that holds a rope by looping its end around an object

half gainer
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A dive in which a diver jumps forward and does a half backward flip to enter facing the board

1 4.6

Wearing only some clothes and showing parts of the body

hell's half acre
  • Informal
1 9.9

A large messy area that is hard to search or manage

half-timbered
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A building with visible wooden frames and walls filled with brick or plaster

half track
  • Specialized
1 7.7

A vehicle with tracks at the back and wheels at the front that moves over rough ground

1 5.6

A person who shares only one parent with a brother or sister

1 4.2

A pale curved area at the base of a fingernail

1 4.1

Partly cooked so it is still raw inside

half note
  • Specialized
1 3.6

A musical note that lasts for two beats in common time

half crown
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A former British coin worth two shillings and sixpence

1 6.3

A short piece of underwear worn under a skirt to help it hang smoothly and stop it showing through

1 5.6

Made half as long as the original

1 3.6

Happens every thirty minutes

1 3.4

A short boot that covers the ankle and lower calf, reaching halfway to the knee

1 4.9

An outside door split into top and bottom parts that open separately

1 4.0

A mask that covers the upper part of the face, leaves the mouth visible, and has holes for the eyes

half-track
  • Specialized
1 8.3

A military vehicle with front wheels and back tracks for rough ground

1 9.9

A part of Manhattan once known for crime and very poor housing in the 1800s and early 1900s

A state of being partly awake and aware of things around you

Surface Forms

half positive
halfer comparative
halfest superlative

Etymology

Half comes from an old German word healf meaning 'one of two'. If two people share only one parent, they are called 'half' brothers or sisters because they share only part of their family. So, half here shows they are related by one parent, not both.