Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HALF, adv.

In part, or in an equal part or degree. Half loth, and half consenting. Dryden. In composition, half denotes an equal part; or indefinitely, a part, and hence, imperfect.

HALF, n. [h'af; plur. halves, pron. h'avz. Sax. half or healf; Goth. halbs; D. half; Sw. half; Dan. halv; G. halb.]

One equal part of a thing which is divided into two parts, either in fact or in contemplation; a moiety; as, half a pound; half a tract of land; half an orange; half the miseries or pleasures of life. It is applied to quantity, number, length, and every thing susceptible of division. In practice, of is often or usually omitted after half. We say, half a pound; half a mile; half the number. Half the misery of life. Addison.

HALF, v.t.

To divide into halves. [See Halve.]

HALF'-BLOOD, n.

Relation between persons born of the same father or of the same mother, but not of both; as, a brother or sister of the half blood. The word is sometimes used as an adjective.

HALF'-BLOOD-ED, a.

1. Mean; degenerate. [Little used.] Shak.
2. Proceeding from a male and female, each of full blood, but of different breeds; as, a half-blooded sheep.

HALF'-BRED, a.

Mixed; mongrel; mean.

HALF'-CAP, n.

A cap not wholly put on. Shak.

HALF'-DEAD, a.

Almost dead; nearly exhausted.

HALF'EN, a.

Wanting half its due qualities. [Not used.] Spenser.

HALF'ER, n.

1. One that possesses half only.
2. A male fallow deer gelded.

HALF'-FAC'ED, a.

Showing only part of the face. Shak.

HALF'-HATCH-ED, a.

Imperfectly hatched; as, half-hatched eggs. Gay.

HALF'-HEARD, a.

Imperfectly heard; not heard to the ear. And leave half-heard the melancholy tale. Pope.

HALF'-LEARN-ED, a.

Imperfectly learned. South.

HALF'-LOST, a.

Nearly lost. Milton.

HALF'-MARK, n.

A coin; a noble, or 6s. 8d. sterling.

HALF'-MOON, n.

1. The moon at the quarters, when half its disk appears illuminated.
2. Any thing in the shape of a half-moon. In fortification, an outwork composed of two faces, forming a salient angle, whose gorge is in the form of a crescent or half-moon. Encyc.

HALF'-NOTE, n.

In music, a minim, being half a semibreve.

HALF'-PART, n.

An equal part. Shak.

HALF'-PAY, a.

Receiving or entitled to half-pay; as, a half-pay officer.

HALF'-PAY, n.

Half the amount of wages or salary; as, an officer retires on half-pay.

HALF'-PEN-NY, a.

Of the price or value of half a penny; as, a half-penny loaf. Shak.

HALF'-PEN-NY, n. [hap'penny or ha'penny.]

A copper coin of the value of half a penny; also, the value of half a penny. It is used in the plural. He cheats for half-pence. Dryden. [This coin is not current in America.]

HALF'-PEN-NY-WORTH, n.

The value of a half-penny.

HALF'-PIKE, n.

1. A small pike carried by officers. Tatler.
2. A small pike used in boarding ships. Mar. Dict.