halve

Meaning

1. To reduce to half the original amount.
2. To divide into two halves.
3. To make up half of.
4. To join two pieces of timber etc. by cutting away each for half its thickness at the joining place, and fitting together.
5. In match play, to achieve a tie or draw on.

Synonyms

bisect

split

divide

split in half

divide into two

split in two

cut in half

dispense

distribute

fork

line segment

rip

separate

share

smash

tear apart

cut in two

dichotomise

reduction by half

crack

divide equally

divide in halves

share equally

make less

drink up a half

eat up a half

bifurcate

reduce by a half

break

cut

cut across

deal

dichotomize

dilute

Pronounced as (IPA)

/hɑːv/

Etymology

From Middle English halven, helven, from Old English hilfan, helfan, *hielfan (“to halve, divide in two”), from Proto-West Germanic *halbijan, from Proto-Germanic *halbijaną (“to halve”), from Proto-Germanic *halbaz (“half”).
Cognate with Middle Dutch halven (“to halve”), Middle High German halben, helben (“to halve”). Compare also West Frisian helte (“to halve”), Dutch halveren (“to halve”), German Low German halberen (“to halve”), German halbieren (“to halve”), Danish halvere (“to halve”), Swedish halvera (“to halve”).