Half Meaning
Half Definition & Usage
One of two equal or approximately equal parts of a whole.
Examples
- "She divided the cake into halves and gave one to her friend."
- "He spent half of his salary on rent each month."
- "The meeting was split into two halves."
- "The glass was filled halfway with water."
- "They agreed to share the pizza, each getting half."
Referring to something that is one of two equal parts or divisions of a whole.
Examples
- "I’ll take a half portion of that dish."
- "They split the responsibility into half, with each person taking a part."
- "The store is offering half-price discounts today."
- "He drank half the bottle of water."
- "She has a half interest in the business."
To divide something into two equal parts.
Examples
- "She halved the pie so everyone could get a piece."
- "The doctor recommended that we halve the dosage for children."
- "He halved the amount of sugar in the recipe."
- "To reduce the cost, we need to halve our expenses."
- "The team halved their lead in the second half of the game."
One of two equal parts into which something is divided.
Examples
- "The task was completed in half the time expected."
- "They gave me half of the cake and kept the rest."
- "You get a half on this one if you score more points next time."
- "After the presentation, there was a half hour break."
- "Half of the team agreed with the proposal, while the other half did not."
Cultural Context
The word 'half' has been a part of English since Old English (hals), and it is found in many cultures as a unit of division or measurement. It is a concept that has been critical to economies, societies, and daily life throughout history.
The Tale of Two Halves
Story
The Tale of Two Halves
In a small town, there were two bakeries: the famous 'Half Moon Bakery' and its rival 'Full Plate Pastries'. The Half Moon was known for dividing everything in half — cakes, cookies, even pies. Their motto was, 'Half the work, full the satisfaction.' One day, a new bakery called 'Three-Quarter Treats' opened, promising to offer more than half but less than a whole. The townspeople were intrigued. When Emily visited the Half Moon Bakery, she saw the baker cutting a large cake into perfect halves. 'Why do you only offer halves?' she asked. 'It's a tradition,' the baker replied. 'People love the idea of balance. Half is enough. It's all about moderation.' Later, Emily visited Full Plate Pastries. Their cakes were large, one whole round, full of extravagant decorations. 'It’s all or nothing here,' the baker joked. 'We go big or go home.' But something about the simplicity of the Half Moon Bakery kept calling to her. On her way home, she stopped by once more, this time choosing a half dozen croissants. As she bit into the warm pastry, she realized that in life, sometimes it’s better to take things one half at a time. The story of Half Moon and Full Plate became a local legend. People started debating whether half was really enough or if you should always go for the whole. Ultimately, the town embraced the idea that 'half' is a good place to start, whether it’s a slice of cake or a new idea. In the end, Emily found a perfect balance between the two bakeries. She decided that sometimes it’s about enjoying the journey, not the size of the plate — a little of both was perfect.
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