| 释义 |
half
I. \ˈha]f, haa(ə)], hai], hȧ], hä]; in sense 2b the f is often lost when “past” follows\ noun
(plural halves \]vz\)
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English healf; akin to Old High German & Gothic halba side, half, Old Norse halfa, Latin scalpere to cut, scratch, Greek skalops mole (animal), Old English sciell shell — more at shell
1. obsolete : part, side
2.
a. : one of two equal parts into which a thing is divisible
< half of it >
< half of the profits >
also : a part of a thing approximately equal to the remainder
< the larger half of the fortune >
: a sizable portion
< the bottom half of the social pyramid — N.E.Eliason >
— often used without of especially when a quantitative world follows
< half the money >
b. : half an hour — used in designation of time
< half past ten >
< half after five >
3. : one of a pair: as
a. : partner
b. : semester, term
c.
(1) : one of the two playing periods usually separated by an interval that together make up the playing time of certain games (as football) — see quarter 21b
(2) : the turn of one team to bat in baseball
< first half of the eighth inning >
4.
a. : half crown
b. : half-dollar
5. : significant part : crux, whole — used with a negative
< that's not the half of it >
6. [by shortening] : halfback
7. : half time
•
- and a half
- by half
- by halves
- half a mind
- in half
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English healf; akin to Old High German halb half, Old Norse halfr, Gothic halbs, Old English healf, n.
1.
a. : being one of two equal parts
< a half share >
< a half sheet of paper >
b.
(1) : amounting to nearly half : approximately a half
(2) : partial, imperfect
< half knowledge of a subject >
2.
a. : reaching only half the normal distance
< a half gunshot away >
b. : extending or covering only half (as of the regular or normal area)
< a half window >
< a half mask >
c. : covering the backbone and one quarter of the boards away from the backbone and sometimes the corners
< a book bound in half leather >
< a half-vellum binding >
— compare full 12c
d. : part-time
< working only half days >
< half shift >
3. chiefly dialect Britain : of a species of small size — used of birds and sometimes of fish
III. adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from half, adjective
1.
a. : in an equal part or degree
b. : only partially : not completely : imperfectly
< half digested >
< half persuaded >
2.
a. : at all : really — used with a negative
< a performance that wasn't half bad >
b. — used with a negative and before a verb to imply the opposite of what is expressed
< didn't half beat up the policeman >
3.
a. : by half an hour less
< half ten o'clock >
— used chiefly in Scotland and Ireland
b. — used before a numeral in designating soundings to add one half to the numeral
< half six fathoms >
c. — used in the nomenclature of points of the compass between the names of two points to designate a position or direction half a point from the first compass point in the direction of the second |