half-seas-overadv.adj.
1.
a. Halfway across the sea.
ΘΚΠ
society > travel > travel by water > [phrase] > at sea > halfway across the sea
half-seas-over1551
1551 in J. A. Picton City of Liverpool: Select. Munic. Rec. (1883) I. 107 The commodities..wch ben taken and retorned againe, when they be halfe the seas over.
a1618 W. Raleigh Disc. Invention Shipping 17 in Judicious & Select Ess. (1650) That ride it out at Anchor, half Seas over betweene England and Ireland.
1688 London Gaz. No. 2396/4 About half Seas over, we discovered the Dutch Fleet.
1831 G. Fowler Jrnl. State N. York 8 It was his intention to have kept below until he thought we were about half seas over, when we surely could not have refused to carry him through.
b. transf. and fig. Halfway towards a goal or destination, half through with a matter; halfway between one state and another.
ΘΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > judgement or decision > compromise > [adjective] > occupying middle position
half-seas-over1692
compromise1833
mesothetical1837
mesothetic1851
midway1905
the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > [adjective] > having made progress or advanced > to the middle or halfway through an action
mida1375
half-seas-over1692
1692 Dryden Cleomenes v. 56, I am half seas o'er to Death.
1697 J. Vanbrugh Relapse iii. 52 That's thinking half Seas over.
a1753 P. Drake Mem. (1755) I. xiii. 113, I returned them both my sincere Thanks, and thought myself half Seas over.
1823 Byron Don Juan: Canto X lxi. 83 And hover Upon their airy confine, half-seas-over.
2. Half-drunk. humorous.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > drink > thirst > excess in drinking > [adjective] > drunk > partially drunk
merrya1382
semi-bousyc1460
pipe merry1542
totty1570
tipsy1577
martin-drunk1592
pleasant1596
mellow1611
tip-merry1612
flustered1615
lusticka1616
well to live1619
jolly1652
happy1662
hazy1673
top-heavy1687
hearty1695
half-seas-over1699
oiled1701
mellowish1703
half channelled over1709
drunkish1710
half-and-half1718
touched1722
uppisha1726
tosie1727
bosky1730
funny1751
fairish1756
cherry-merry1769
in suds1770
muddy1776
glorious1790
groggified1796
well-corned1800
fresh1804
to be mops and brooms1814
foggy1816
how-come-ye-so1816
screwy1820
off the nail1821
on (also, esp. in early use, upon) the go1821
swipey1821
muggy1822
rosy1823
snuffy1823
spreeish1825
elevated1827
up a stump1829
half-cockedc1830
tightish1830
tipsified1830
half shaved1834
screwed1837
half-shot1838
squizzed1845
drinky1846
a sheet in the wind1862
tight1868
toppy1885
tiddly1905
oiled-up1918
bonkers1943
sloshed1946
tiddled1956
hickey-
1699 B. E. New Dict. Canting Crew Half Seas over, almost Drunk.
1714 Spectator No. 616. ⁋4 Our friend the alderman was half seas over before the bonefire was out.
1880 C. H. Spurgeon John Ploughman's Pictures 42 There's nothing too bad for a man to say or do when he is half-seas over.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1898; most recently modified version published online September 2016).
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adv.adj.1551