halfˈback noun

1. (in football) a midfield player (old)
2. (in rugby) either of two players (the scrum half and stand-off half) acting as a link between the forwards and the three-quarters
3. (in American football) a running back positioned in front of the full back

halfˈ-bakedˈ adjective

1. Underdone
2. Incomplete
3. Crude
4. Immature
5. Half-witted

halfˈ-ball noun (snooker, etc)

A shot in which the cue ball is aimed at the edge of the object ball

halfˈ-baptize or halfˈ-baptise transitive verb

To baptize privately and hastily

halfˈbeak noun

A fish (Hyporhynchus, etc) with a spearlike under-jaw

halfˈ-binding noun

A bookbinding with only backs and corners of leather or a similar material

halfˈ-blood noun

1. Relation between those who have only one parent in common
2. A half-breed (offens)

halfˈ-blooded adjective

halfˈ-blue noun

(at university) a substitute for a full blue, or the colours awarded him or her

half board noun

1. (in hotels, etc) the providing of bed, breakfast and one main meal per day, demi-pension
2. A manoeuvre by which a sailing-ship gains distance to windward by luffing up into the wind (nautical)

halfˈ-boot noun

A boot reaching halfway to the knee

halfˈ-bound adjective

Bound in half-binding

halfˈ-bred adjective

1. Poorly bred or trained
2. Mongrel, of mixed breed

halfˈ-breed noun

A person or animal of mixed breed (of people, usu with one white and one non-white parent; offensive)

halfˈ-brother noun

A brother with whom one has only one parent in common

halfˈ-butt noun (billiards, etc)

A cue longer than the standard snooker cue

halfˈ-caf or halfˈ-caff noun (informal)

Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee in equal proportions

halfˈ-cap noun (Shakespeare)

A cap only partly taken off, a slight salute

halfˈ-caste noun (offens)

A person whose parents are from different races, esp a Eurasian

half-cenˈtury noun

1. A period of 50 years
2. (esp in cricket, snooker, etc) a score of 50

halfˈ-chance noun

A slight opportunity, esp to score in football

halfˈ-checked adjective (Shakespeare)

With reins attached halfway up the side-piece of the bit, giving little leverage

halfˈ-cheek noun (Shakespeare)

A face in profile

halfˈ-close noun (music)

An imperfect cadence

half-cockˈ noun

1. The position of the cock of a gun drawn back halfway and retained by the first notch (at half-cock only partially prepared)
2. A stroke made by playing neither forward nor back (cricket)

adverb

In that position

halfˈ-cockedˈ adjective

half-crownˈ noun

1. A coin worth half-a-crownˈ or two shillings and sixpence, from 1970 no longer legal tender
2. A sum of money equivalent to this (also adjective)

half-cutˈ adjective (informal)

Drunk

half-dayˈ noun

1. A holiday of half a working day
2. A day on which one works in the morning or afternoon only

half-deadˈ adjective (informal)

Very weary, exhausted

half-dollˈar noun

An American coin worth 50 cents (also adjective)

halfˈ-done adjective

1. Partly done
2. Partly cooked

halfˈ-door noun

The lower part of a divided door

half-dozˈen noun and adjective

Six

half-dūˈplex adjective (computing, telegraphy, etc)

Allowing communication or transmission in both directions, but not simultaneously

halfe-horsˈy adjective (Spenser)

(of the Centaurs) partly of the nature of horses

half-evˈergreen adjective

1. Having foliage that persists during part of winter
2. Tending to be evergreen in mild areas but deciduous where the climate is more rigorous

halfˈ-face noun

Profile

halfˈ-faced adjective (Shakespeare)

1. Showing only part of the face
2. Thin-faced

halfˈ-frame adjective

(of a photograph) taking up half the normal area of a frame

halfˈ-hardy adjective

Able to grow in the open air except in winter

half-heartˈed adjective

Lacking in zeal

half-heartˈedly adverb

half-heartˈedness noun

half hitch noun

A simple knot tied round an object

half-holˈiday noun

Half of a working day for recreation

half-hose see hose

half-hourˈ noun

1. A period of 30 minutes (also adjective)
2. A point marking such a period on a clock, etc

half-hourˈly adjective and adverb

At intervals of 30 minutes

half-hunter see hunter under hunt

half-inchˈ noun

Half of an inch of length

transitive verb (rhyming sl)

To pinch, steal

half-inˈteger noun

A number formed by the division of an odd integer by two

half-inˈtegral adjective

halfˈ-kirtle noun

A kind of jacket worn by women in the 16 and 17c

halfˈ-landing noun

A small landing at the bend of a staircase

halfˈ-leather noun

A half-binding for a book, with leather on back and corners

halfˈ-length noun

A portrait showing the upper part of the body

adjective

Of half the whole or ordinary length

halfˈ-life noun

The period of time in which activity of a radioactive substance falls to half its original value

halfˈ-light noun

1. Dim light
2. Twilight

halfˈ-loaf noun

A loaf of half the standard weight

half-marˈathon noun

A foot-race just over half the length of a marathon (21.243km, 13 miles 352 yards)

half mast noun

The position of a flag partly lowered, in respect for the dead or in signal of distress

half-mastˈ adverb and transitive verb

half measure noun

(often in pl) any means inadequate for the end proposed

half-milˈer noun

A runner specializing in races of 800 metres or half a mile

half-moonˈ noun

1. The moon at the quarters when half the disc is illuminated
2. Anything semicircular

half-mournˈing noun

1. Mourning attire less than deep or full mourning
2. The condition of having one black eye (slang)

half nelson see nelson

halfˈ-note noun (music; N American)

A minim

half-oneˈ noun (golf)

1. A handicap of one stroke every second hole
2. Same as half past one below

half pay noun

Reduced pay, as for an officer not on active service

halfˈ-pay adjective

On half pay

halfpenny /hāpˈni/ noun (pl halfpence /hāˈpəns/, or halfpennies /hāpˈniz/)

1. A coin worth half a penny, withdrawn from circulation in 1985
2. Its value
3. Anything very small (Shakespeare)

adjective

Valued at a halfpenny

halfpennyworth /hāpˈni-wûrth/ noun

(also hap'orth /hāpˈərth/) as much as is sold for a halfpenny or is worth a halfpenny

halfˈ-pie adjective (Maori pai good; NZ inf)

1. Not very good
2. Badly done

halfˈ-pike noun

1. A short-shafted pike
2. A spontoon

halfˈ-pint noun (slang)

A very small person

halfˈ-pipe noun

A U-shaped structure made of concrete or hard snow used by skateboarders or snowboarders in performing stunts

halfˈ-plate see plate

halfˈ-pound noun

Half a pound

adjective

Weighing half a pound

half-poundˈer noun

1. A fish or other thing weighing half a pound
2. A gun that fires a half-pound shot

half-priceˈ noun

A charge reduced to half

adjective and adverb

At half the usual price

half-roundˈ noun

A semicircle

adjective (Milton)

Semicircular

half-royˈal noun

A kind of millboard

half-seas-oˈver adjective and adverb

1. Halfway across the sea
2. Half-drunk (informal)

halfˈ-shell noun

One shell or valve of a bivalve

half-shiftˈ noun

A position of the hand in violin-playing giving notes a semitone above the open-string position

halfˈ-sister noun

A sister with whom one has only one parent in common

half-sizeˈ noun

Any size in clothes, etc halfway between two full sizes

halfˈ-sole noun

The part of a shoe-sole from the instep to the toe

half-soveˈreign noun

A gold coin worth half-a-sovˈereign or ten shillings

half-starvedˈ adjective

Very inadequately fed

half step noun (music; N American)

A semitone

halfˈ-sword noun

Fighting within half a sword's length, close fighting

half-termˈ noun

(a holiday taken at) the mid point of an academic term

halfˈ-text noun

Handwriting half the size of text (also adjective)

halfˈ-tide noun

The stage midway between flood and ebb

adjective

Uncovered at half-tide

half-timˈbered adjective

Built of a timber frame, with spaces filled in

half-timeˈ noun

1. Half of full or whole time
2. The middle of the whole time
3. A short break halfway through a game (sport)
4. (in industry) half the time usually worked

adjective /häf'/

At or for half-time

half-timˈer noun

Someone who works half the full time

halfˈ-tint noun

Intermediate tone, between light and dark

half-tiˈtle noun

1. A short title preceding the title page or before a section of a book
2. The page on which this appears

halfˈ-tone adjective

Representing light and shade photographically by dots of different sizes

noun

1. A half-tone illustration
2. A semitone (music)

halfˈ-track noun

A motor vehicle with wheels in front and caterpillar tracks behind (also adjective)

halfˈ-truth noun

1. A belief containing an element of truth
2. A statement conveying only part of the truth

half volley see volley

halfwayˈ (sometimes /häfˈwā/) adverb

1. Midway
2. At half the distance
3. Imperfectly
4. Slightly, barely (informal)

halfˈway adjective

Equidistant from two points

halfway house noun

1. Orig an inn, etc situated midway between two towns or points on a journey, etc
2. A midway point or state
3. A centre offering accommodation and rehabilitation to eg released prisoners, people recovering from mental illness, etc

half-wellington see wellington

halfˈwit noun

1. An idiot (informal)
2. A would-be wit (obsolete)

halfwittˈed adjective

1. Foolish, stupid (informal)
2. Mentally defective (obsolete)

halfˈ-year noun

Half of a year, six months

half-yearˈly adjective

Occurring or appearing every half-year

adverb

Twice a year

noun

A half-yearly publication

by half

By a long way

by halves

1. Incompletely
2. Half-heartedly

cry halves

To claim half

go halves

To share equally

half past one, two, etc, half after one, two, etc (informal)

Thirty minutes after one o'clock, two o'clock, etc

how the other half lives (facetious)

Other (esp richer or poorer) people's way of life

not half (slang)

1. Not moderately
2. Not even half
3. Not at all
4. Very much, exceedingly

one's other (or better) half

One's spouse or partner

stand /stand/

intransitive verb (pat and pap stood; Scot stoodˈen, studdˈen; infinitive, Spenser, standˈen)

1. To be, become, or remain upright, erect, rigid, or still
2. To be on, or rise to, one's feet
3. To be a particular height, as in He stands six feet tall
4. To be steadfast
5. To have or take a position
6. To assume the attitude and duties of (guard, sentinel)
7. To be or remain
8. To be set or situated
9. To be likely, be in a position (to lose or gain something)
10. To come to a stop, be stationary or remain still
11. Used with and to introduce a second verb, eg stand and stare
12. To be set down
13. To hold a course or direction (with for; nautical)
14. To hold good
15. To endure, continue to exist
16. To be, at the moment in question, as in the score stands at 3 to 1, as things stand
17. To be a representative, representation or symbol (with for)
18. To be a candidate (with for)
19. (of a vehicle) to park, wait (N American)

transitive verb

1. To withstand
2. To tolerate
3. To endure
4. To sustain
5. To suffer, undergo
6. To abide by
7. To be at the expense of, offer and pay for
8. To station, cause to stand
9. To set erect, in place, or in position

noun

1. An act, manner, or place of standing
2. A taking up of a position for resistance
3. Resistance
4. An attitude or position adopted
5. The partnership of any two batsmen at the wicket, the period of time of the partnership, or the runs made during it (cricket)
6. A standing position
7. A standstill
8. A stoppage
9. A post, station
10. A stall or position occupied by a trader or an organization at an exhibition, for the display of goods, etc
11. A place, sometimes under cover, for awaiting game
12. A place for vehicles awaiting hire
13. A structure, with or without a roof, with sitting or standing accommodation for spectators, eg at a football or rugby game
14. A stop on tour to give one or more performances, or the place where it is made (theatre)
15. A platform
16. A witness box (N American)
17. A base or structure for setting things on
18. A piece of furniture for hanging things from
19. A company of plovers
20. A complete set, esp (Scot) a suit of clothes or armour
21. A shearer's position in a shed (Aust and NZ)
22. A standing growth or crop
23. A young tree left standing
24. A tub or vat

standeeˈ noun

1. A person standing as opposed to sitting (esp US)
2. A cardboard figure that is able to stand upright

standˈer noun

standˈing adjective

1. Established
2. Settled
3. Permanent
4. Fixed
5. Stagnant
6. Erect
7. Having a base
8. Done as one stands
9. From a standing position, without preliminary movement (eg standing jump, standing start)

noun

1. The action of someone who or something that stands
2. Duration or continuance
3. A place to stand in or on
4. Position, status or reputation in one's profession or in society
5. A current ranking within a graded scale, esp in sport
6. A right or capacity to sue or maintain an action

standˈ-alone adjective

(of a system, device, etc) able to operate unconnected to and unaided by any other

noun

A stand-alone system or device

standˈ-by noun

1. That which, or someone whom, one relies on or readily resorts to
2. Something or someone available for use in an emergency (see also on stand-by below)

adjective

(of an airline passenger, ticket, fare, etc) occupying, or for, an aircraft seat not booked in advance but taken as available, usu with some price reduction, at the time of departure

standˈ-down noun (military)

1. A return to normal duties after an alert
2. An off-duty period

standˈer-by noun (pl standˈers-by) (Shakespeare)

A bystander

stand first noun (press)

An introductory paragraph in bigger and/or bolder type summarizing the contents of a newspaper or magazine article

standˈ-in noun

A substitute

standing bed noun

A high bedstead, not a truckle bed

standing committee noun

One permanently established to deal with a particular matter

standing crop noun

1. A growing crop
2. The total biomass in a particular environment at a particular time

standing joke noun

A subject that raises a laugh whenever it is mentioned

standing-off dose noun (radiology)

The absorbed dose after which occupationally exposed radiation workers must be transferred to duties not involving further exposure

standing order noun

1. An instruction from a customer to his or her bank to make regular payments from his or her account (also called banker's order)
2. An order placed with a shopkeeper, etc for the regular supply of a newspaper or other goods
3. A military order with long-term application
4. (in pl) regulations for procedure adopted by a legislative assembly (also standing rules)

standing ovation noun

Applause from an audience that rises to its feet in its enthusiasm

standing rigging noun

The fixed ropes in a ship

standˈing-room noun

Room for standing, without a seat

standing stone noun (archaeology)

A great stone set erect in the ground, thought to be of religious significance to prehistoric peoples

standing wave noun

1. The pattern of maxima and minima when two sets of oppositely travelling waves of the same frequency interfere with each other (physics)
2. (in pl) a long-lasting layered cloud-formation seen in hilly regions (meteorology)

standˈ-off noun

1. A rugby halfback who stands away from the scrum as a link between scrum-half and the three-quarters (also stand-off half)
2. A tie, draw or deadlock (chiefly N American)
3. Any object that stands, projects or holds another a short distance away, eg on a ladder, an attachment that holds it away from the surface supporting it

standˈoff adjective

1. Standoffish (N American)
2. (of a missile) capable of being released at a long distance from its target

standoffˈish adjective

Inclined to hold aloof, keep others at arm's length

standoffˈishness noun

stand oil noun

A drying oil used in paints, varnishes, etc

standˈout noun

Someone or something exceptional or of high quality

standpattˈer noun (US)

1. Someone who refuses to accept or consider change
2. A political diehard

standpattˈism noun

standˈpipe noun

1. An open vertical pipe connected to a pipeline, to ensure that the pressure head at that point cannot exceed the length of the pipe
2. A pipe fitted with a tap, used to obtain water, eg from an attached hose

standˈpoint noun

A viewpoint

standˈstill noun

A complete stop

adjective

1. Stationary
2. Unmoving
3. Forbidding or refraining from movement

standstill agreement noun

An agreement between parties to respect the status quo, esp granting more time for repayment of a debt

standˈ-to noun

A precautionary parade or taking of posts

standˈ-up adjective

1. Erect
2. Done or taken in a standing position
3. (of a fight) in earnest
4. Delivering, or consisting of, a comic monologue without feed or other support

noun

1. Stand-up comedy
2. One who performs this
3. Something that stands upright, either independently or with a support to hold it in position
4. A broken date (between two people) (informal)

all standing

1. Everything remaining as it stands
2. Without unrigging
3. Fully clad

it stands to reason

It is only logical to assume

make a stand

To halt and offer resistance

one-night stand see under one

on stand-by

In readiness to provide assistance, or work, in an emergency

stand against

To resist

stand by

1. To support
2. To adhere to, abide by
3. To be at hand
4. To hold oneself in readiness
5. To prepare to work at
6. To look on without taking action

stand down

1. To leave the witness box
2. (esp of a member or members of the armed forces) to go off duty
3. To withdraw from a contest or from a controlling position

stand fast

To be unmoved

stand fire

To remain steady under the fire of an enemy (also figurative)

stand for

1. To be a candidate for
2. To direct the course towards (nautical)
3. To be a sponsor for
4. To represent, symbolize
5. To champion
6. To put up with, endure (informal)

stand from (nautical)

To direct the course from

stand in

1. To cost
2. To become a party
3. To have an understanding, be in league
4. To deputize, act as a substitute (with for)

stand in with

To support, act together with

stand low (printing)

To fall short of the standard height

stand off

1. To keep at a distance
2. To direct the course from (nautical)
3. To forbear compliance or intimacy (Shakespeare)
4. To suspend temporarily from employment

stand off and on (nautical)

To sail away from shore and then towards it

stand on

1. To continue on the same tack or course (nautical)
2. To insist on
3. To set store by (see also under ceremony)
4. To behove
5. To found upon

stand one's ground

To maintain one's position

stand one's hand, stand sam (informal), stand shot and stand treat

To treat the company, esp to drinks

stand on one's own (two) feet

To manage one's own affairs without help

stand out

1. To project, be prominent
2. Not to comply, to refuse to yield, take an independent stand (with against or for)

stand over

1. To keep (someone who is working, etc) under close supervision
2. To postpone or be postponed

stand pat (US)

1. To play one's hand in poker as it was dealt, without drawing any cards
2. To adhere to an established, esp political, principle, resisting all compromise (figurative)

stand to

1. To fall to, set to work
2. To back up
3. To uphold
4. To take up a position in readiness for orders

stand to gain, win, etc

To be in a position to gain, win, etc

stand up

1. To get to one's feet
2. To take position for a dance
3. To prove, or remain, valid
4. To be clad (with in)
5. To fail to keep an appointment with (informal)

stand up for

To support or attempt to defend

stand upon

1. To stand on
2. To attack (Bible)

stand up to

1. To meet (an opponent, etc) face to face, to show resistance to
2. To fulfil (an obligation, etc) fairly
3. To withstand (hard wear, etc)

stand well

To be in favour

stand with

To be consistent