\Half\ (h[aum]f), a. [AS. healf, half, half; as a noun,
half, side, part; akin to OS., OFries., & D. half, G. halb,
Sw. half, Dan. halv, Icel. h[=a]lfr, Goth. halbs. Cf.
{Halve}, {Behalf}.]
1. Consisting of a moiety, or half; as, a half bushel; a half
   hour; a half dollar; a half view.
Note: The adjective and noun are often united to form a
      compound.
2. Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half;
   approximately a half, whether more or less; partial;
   imperfect; as, a half dream; half knowledge.
         Assumed from thence a half consent.   --Tennyson.
{Half ape} (Zo["o]l.), a lemur.
{Half back}. (Football) See under 2d {Back}.
{Half bent}, the first notch, for the sear point to enter, in
   the tumbler of a gunlock; the halfcock notch.
{Half binding}, a style of bookbinding in which only the back
   and corners are in leather.
{Half boarder}, one who boards in part; specifically, a
   scholar at a boarding school who takes dinner only.
{Half-breadth plan} (Shipbuilding), a horizontal plan of the
   half a vessel, divided lengthwise, showing the lines.
{Half cadence} (Mus.), a cadence on the dominant.
{Half cap}, a slight salute with the cap. [Obs.] --Shak.
{A half cock}, the position of the cock of a gun when
   retained by the first notch.
{Half hitch}, a sailor's knot in a rope; half of a clove
   hitch.
{Half hose}, short stockings; socks.
{Half measure}, an imperfect or weak line of action.
{Half note} (Mus.), a minim, one half of a semibreve.
{Half pay}, half of the wages or salary; reduced pay; as, an
   officer on half pay.
{Half price}, half the ordinary price; or a price much
   reduced.
{Half round}.
   (a) (Arch.) A molding of semicircular section.
   (b) (Mech.) Having one side flat and the other rounded; --
       said of a file.
{Half shift} (Mus.), a position of the hand, between the open
   position and the first shift, in playing on the violin and
   kindred instruments. See {Shift}.
{Half step} (Mus.), a semitone; the smallest difference of
   pitch or interval, used in music.
{Half tide}, the time or state of the tide equally distant
   from ebb and flood.
{Half time}, half the ordinary time for work or attendance;
   as, the half-time system.
{Half tint} (Fine Arts), a middle or intermediate tint, as in
   drawing or painting. See {Demitint}.
{Half truth}, a statement only partially true, or which gives
   only a part of the truth. --Mrs. Browning.
{Half year}, the space of six months; one term of a school
   when there are two terms in a year.

\Half\, adv.
In an equal part or degree; in some pa? appro?mating a half;
partially; imperfectly; as, half-colored, half done,
half-hearted, half persuaded, half conscious. ``Half loth and
half consenting.'' --Dryden.
      Their children spoke halfin the speech of Ashdod.
                                               --Neh. xiii.
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\Half\, n.; pl. {Halves}. [AS. healf. See {Half}, a.]
1. Part; side; behalf. [Obs.] --Wyclif.
         The four halves of the house.         --Chaucer.
2. One of two equal parts into which anything may be divided,
   or considered as divided; -- sometimes followed by of; as,
   a half of an apple.
         Not half his riches known, and yet despised.
                                               --Milton.
         A friendship so complete Portioned in halves between
         us.                                   --Tennyson.
{Better half}. See under {Better}.
{In half}, in two; an expression sometimes used improperly
   instead of in or into halves; as, to cut in half.
   [Colloq.] --Dickens.
{In, or On}, {one's half}, in one's behalf; on one's part.
   [Obs.]
{To cry halves}, to claim an equal share with another.
{To go halves}, to share equally between two.

\Half\, v. t.
To halve. [Obs.] See {Halve}. --Sir H. Wotton.