Half or half of an amount or object is one of the two equal parts that together make up the whole amount or object.
You use half or half of in front of a noun phrase beginning with a determiner. Half is more common.
Be Careful!
Don't say 'the half of'.
In front of measurement words like metre, kilogram, or hour, you always use half, not 'half of'.
Use half of in front of pronouns. Don't use 'half'.
Be Careful!
Don't use 'they' or 'we' after half of. Instead use them or us.
When you use half or half of in front of a singular noun or pronoun, you use a singular form of a verb after the noun or pronoun.
When you use half or half of in front of a plural noun or pronoun, you use a plural form of a verb after the noun or pronoun.
Half can be a pronoun.
You can also use half as a noun to talk about a particular part of something.
| Noun | 1. | half - one of two equal parts of a divisible whole; "half a loaf"; "half an hour"; "a century and one half"common fraction, simple fraction - the quotient of two integers fifty percent - a half expressed as a percentage |
| 2. | half - one of two divisions into which some games or performances are divided: the two divisions are separated by an interval football, football game - any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal basketball, basketball game, hoops - a game played on a court by two opposing teams of 5 players; points are scored by throwing the ball through an elevated horizontal hoop division, section, part - one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole; "the written part of the exam"; "the finance section of the company"; "the BBC's engineering division" period of play, playing period, play - (in games or plays or other performances) the time during which play proceeds; "rain stopped play in the 4th inning" first half - the first of two halves of play last half, second half - the second of two halves of play | |
| Adj. | 1. | half - consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity; "a half chicken"; "lasted a half hour" fractional - constituting or comprising a part or fraction of a possible whole or entirety; "a fractional share of the vote"; "a partial dose" |
| 2. | half - partial; "gave me a half smile"; "he did only a half job" incomplete, uncomplete - not complete or total; not completed; "an incomplete account of his life"; "political consequences of incomplete military success"; "an incomplete forward pass" | |
| 3. | half - (of siblings) related through one parent only; "a half brother"; "half sister" whole - (of siblings) having the same parents; "whole brothers and sisters" | |
| Adv. | 1. | half - partially or to the extent of a half; "he was half hidden by the bushes" |