HALF, häf, _n._ one of two equal parts: a contraction of half-year, as in a
school session:--_pl._ HALVES (hävz).--_adj._ having or consisting of one
of two equal parts: being in part: incomplete, as measures.--_adv._ in an
equal part or degree: in part: imperfectly.--_v.i._ to divide into two
equal parts.--_ns._ HALF'-AND-HALF, a mixture of beer or porter and ale;
HALF'-BACK, in football, a position on the right or left side of the field,
between the quarter-back and full-back, or directly behind the forwards: a
player occupying this position.--_adj._ HALF'-BAKED, underdone: incomplete:
half-witted.--_v.t._ HALF'-BAPTISE', to baptise privately and
hastily.--_ns._ HALF'-BIND'ING, a style of bookbinding in which the backs
and corners are of leather, and the sides of paper or cloth; HALF'-BLOOD,
relation between those who are of the same father or mother, but not of
both.--_adj._ HALF'-BLOOD'ED.--_ns._ HALF'-BOARD (_naut._), a manoeuvre by
which a sailing-ship gains distance to windward by luffing up into the
wind; HALF'-BOOT, a boot reaching half-way to the knee.--_adj._
HALF'-BOUND, bound only partly in leather, as a book.--_n._ HALF'-BREED,
one that is half-blooded.--_adj._ HALF'-BRED, half or not well bred or
trained: wanting in refinement.--_ns._ HALF'-BROTH'ER, HALF'-SIS'TER, a
brother or sister by one parent only; HALF'-CAP (_Shak._), a cap only
partly taken off: a slight salute; HALF'-CASTE, a person one of whose
parents belongs to a Hindu caste, and the other is a European: any
half-breed; HALF'-CHEEK (_Shak._), a face in profile; HALF'-COCK, the
position of the cock of a gun when retained by the first notch (see COCK);
HALF'-CROWN, a silver coin in England, of the value of two shillings and
sixpence.--_adj._ HALF'-DEAD, almost dead, nearly exhausted.--_n._
HALF'-DOLL'AR, a silver coin of the United States, worth 50 cents.--_adj._
HALF'-DONE, not fully cooked, roasted, &c.--_n._ HALF'-DOZ'EN,
six.--_adjs._ HALF'-ED'UCATED, imperfectly educated; HALF'EN (_Spens._),
half.--_adv._ HALF'ENDEAL (_Spens._), half.--_adjs._ HALF'-FACED (_Shak._),
showing only part of the face: wretched-looking; HALF'-HEART'ED, cold,
ungenerous: lukewarm: indifferent.--_adv._ HALF'-HEART'EDLY.--_ns._
HALF'-HEART'EDNESS; HALF'-HOLIDAY, half of a working day for recreation;
HALF'-KIR'TLE, a kind of jacket worn by women in the 16th and 17th
centuries; HALF'-LENGTH, a portrait or photograph showing the upper part of
the body.--_adj._ of half-length.--_ns._ HALF'LING, a half-grown person,
between a boy and a man; HALF'-MAST, the position of a flag lowered
half-way down, in respect for the dead or in signal of distress;
HALF'-MEAS'URE, any means inadequate for the end proposed; HALF'-MOON, the
moon at the quarters when but half of it is illuminated: anything
semicircular; HALF'-MOURN'ING, a mourning costume less than deep or full
mournings.--_adj._ HALF'-N[=A]'KED, as nearly naked as clothed.--_ns._
HALF'-NOTE (_mus._), a minim, being one-half of a semibreve or whole note;
HALF'-ONE (_golf_), a handicap of one stroke every second hole; HALF'-PAY,
reduced pay, as of naval or military officers when not in active
service.--_adj._ receiving half-pay.--_ns._ HALFPENNY (h[=a]'pen-i), a
copper coin worth half a penny: the value of half a penny: (_Shak._)
anything very small:--_pl._ HALFPENCE (h[=a]'pens); HALF'PENNYWORTH, the
worth or value of a halfpenny; HALF'-PIKE, a pike with a shaft only half
the length of the ordinary; HALF'-PRICE, a reduced charge of admission,
&c.--_adj._ at half the usual prices.--_adj._ HALF'-ROUND (_Milt._),
semicircular.--_ns._ HALF'-ROY'AL, a special kind of millboard or
pasteboard; HALF'-SHELL, one-half of a bivalve, as in oysters 'on the
half-shell.'--_adj._ HALF'-SIGHT'ED, short-sighted.--_n._ HALF'-SOV'EREIGN,
an English gold coin, worth ten shillings.--_adj._ HALF'-STARVED, having
insufficient food.--_ns._ HALF'-SUIT, the body armour of the 17th century;
HALF'-SWORD (_Shak._), fight within half a sword's length: close fight;
HALF'-TIDE, the tide half-way between flood and ebb.--_adj._ left dry at
half-tide.--_ns._ HALF'-TIM'ER, one who works only half the usual time,
esp. a pupil in an elementary school allowed to be absent half the
school-day at some employment; HALF'-TINT, an intermediate tint;
HALF'-T[=I]'TLE, a short title of a book at the head of the first page of
the text, or a title of any subdivision of a book when printed in a full
page; HALF'-TRUTH, a statement conveying only part of the truth.--_adv._
HALF'-WAY, at half the way or distance: imperfectly.--_adj._ equally
distant from two points.--_adjs._ HALF'-WIT'TED, weak in intellect;
HALF'-YEAR'LY, occurring at every half-year or twice in a year.--_adv._
twice in a year.--_n._ BETT'ER-HALF, a wife.--HALF-SEAS-OVER,
half-drunk.--NOT HALF, to a very slight extent: (_slang_) not at all.--CRY
HALVES, to claim a half-share; GO HALVES, to share equally with a person.
[A.S. _healf_ (Ger. _halb_, Dan. _halv_); original meaning 'side.']
HALIBUT, hal'i-but, _n._ the largest kind of flat-fishes, in form more
elongated than the flounder or the turbot.--Also HOL'IBUT. [M. E. _hali_,
holy, and _butte_, a flounder, plaice, the fish being much eaten on fast or
holy days; cf. Dut. _heilbot_, Ger. _heilbutt_.]
HALICORE, hal-ik'o-ri, _n._ a dugong.
HALIDOM, hal'i-dom, _n._ (_Spens._) holiness--used chiefly as an oath.
[A.S. _hálig_, holy, and affix _-dom_.]
HALIEUTICS, hal-i-[=u]'tiks, _n._ a treatise on fishes or fishing.
[L.,--Gr.,_--hals_, the sea.]
HALIOTIS, hal-i-[=o]'tis, _n._ a genus of univalve shells, the ear-shells,
supplying mother-of-pearl.--_adj._ HAL'IOTOID. [Gr. _hals_, sea, _ous_,
_[=o]tis_, ear.]