half-hitch 
half-hitch (hafhich), it. 1. A hitch formed 
by passing the end of a rope round its stand- 
ing part and bringing it up through the bight. 
See hitch. 2. In pillow-lace making, the loop 
by means of which the thread is tightened upon 
the bobbin. Also called rollinij-liitch. 
half-holiday (hafhol'i-da), . Half of a day 
given up to recreation; a day on which work 
is carried on only during half or a part of the 
usual working-hours. 
What a poor half-holyday is Methusalem's nine hun- 
dred years to eternity ! Donne, Sermons, vii. 
half-hose (haf ' hoz), . pi. Short stockings; 
socks. 
half-hour (haf 'our'), A period of thirty 
minutes. 
half-hourly (hiif'our'li), a. Occurring at in- 
tervals of half an hour, or lasting half an hour. 
half-kirtle (haf ker/tl), . A garment worn 
by women in the sixteenth and seventeenth 
centuries. [It seems Impossible to decide what garment 
was known as the half-kirtle and what as the full kiltie or 
kirtle : all definitions are mere conjecture.] 
You fllthy, famished correctioner : if you be not swinged, 
I'll forswear half-kirtlet. Shak., 2 Hen. IV., v. 4. 
half-length (haf'length), a. Of half the full 
or ordinary length ; showing only the upper 
part of the body, as a portrait. 
half-line (Imf'lin), . 1. In entom., a line or 
mark extending half-way across a surface, as 
of the wing. 2. A share of one half the catch 
of a fishing-line. [A fishermen's term.] Basal 
half-line. See banal. 
halfling 1 (haf'ling), n. and . [Sc. also luifliitg, 
halflin, haflin, hafflin ; < half + -lingi.] I. . 1. 
A halfpenny ; the half of an old silver penny. 
" Not a shekel, nut a silver penny, not a hajtintj, so help 
me the God of Abraham ! " said the Jew. Scott, Ivanhoe, v. 
2. A half -grown person; a stripling. 
Wages of a man servant, . . . 10;. . . of zhalflin, . . .6. 
Statist. Ace. of Scotland, xii. 304. 
3. A half-witted person. 
II. a. Half-grown ; not fully grown. 
A man cam' jingling to our door, that night the young 
Laird was born, and my mother sent me, that was a najltin 
callunt, to shew the stranger the gate to the Place. 
Scott, Guy Mannering, xi. 
halfling-, halflings (haf'ling, -lingz), adr. [Sc. 
also hnlflin, haljtiiix, hafllns, lutllhiti ; < ME. half- 
linyes; < half + -ling'*, -li </..] Partly; in part; 
half. 
Jenny tiajllin* is afraid to speak. 
Bums, Cottar's Saturday Night 
half-lop (hiif'lop), n. A fanciers' name for a 
rabbit with one ear lopped. 
In some half-lope the ear that hangs down is broader 
and longer than the upright ear. 
Darwin, Var. of Animals and Plants, p. 112. 
half-markt (haf 'mark'), n. An old English 
money of account, of the value of 6*. 8eJ., or 
half the value of the mark, which was a sum of 
13s. M. The half-mark was never a coin. 
half-marrow (hiif'inar"6), n. 1. In coal-min- 
ing, a butty or partner. (Presley. [North. Eng.] 
2. A husband or a wife. [Scotch.] 
half-mask (hilf'mask), n. A mask made to 
cover the upper part of the face, and used for 
disguise, as at masquerades, and also for pro- 
tection from the sun's rays, by ladies in the 
eighteenth century. It may be supposed that the 
lower part of the face was covered at pleasure by the 
muffler. Compare mask and loup. 
half-mast (haf mast'), n. The position of a 
flag lowered half-way down from the head of 
the staff or from the gaff-end, as a mark of re- 
spect for the dead or as a signal of distress: 
generally used with at. 
half-mast (hafmast), v. t. [< half-mast, .] 
To place (a flag) at half-mast. 
half-measure (haf 'mezh"ur), w. An imperfect 
plan of operation ; a measure, plan, effort, etc., 
inadequate to attain the end desired. 
We feel how vain is the dream of those who think that 
this or that half-measure has solved it 
E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 380. 
He is for no half-measures in grief. 
A. Dobson, Ink to Steele, p. xlvi. 
half-merlon (haf'mer'lon), n. In fort., one 
of the merlons at the two extremities of a bat- 
tlemented parapet. 
half-moon (haf'mon'), n. [= G. halbmond = 
Dan. hahmaane = Sw. half-mane.'] 1. The 
moon at the quarters, when half its disk ap- 
pears illuminated. 2. Something in the shape 
of a half-moon, or, loosely, of a crescent. 
See how this river comes me cranking in, 
And cuts me, from the best of all my land, 
A huge half-moon, a monstrous cautle out. 
Shak., 1 Hen. IV., ill. 1. 
2688 
3. In fort., an outwork composed of two faces 
forming a salient angle whose gorge is in the 
form of a crescent or a half -moon. 4. In min- 
ing, a scaffold in a shaft, having a plan of nearly 
the shape of a half-moon. Such a construction is 
of a temporary character, and intended to afford a place 
where the men may stand while making repairs in the 
shaft. [Eng.] Half-moon China, a name given to 
Caughiey porcelain, in allusion to its mark, a crescent. 
Half-moon knife, a skin-dressers' tool having a crescent- 
shaped blade and two handles. 
half -mounting (haf 'mounting), . The un- 
derclothing and minor articles of dress belong- 
ing to a military outfit of the eighteenth cen- 
tury. 
A black stock and roller, which, together with the shirt, 
shoes and stockings, is called the hatf-mountiii'i. 
drone, Military Antiq., I. 322. 
half -mourning (haf 'mor'ning), n. 1. A mourn- 
ing-costume less somberthan full ordeep mourn- 
ing. 2. A butterfly, J'apilio galatea, having 
yellowish wings spotted with black and white. 
halfness (haf'nes), . [< half + -ness.] The 
character of being a hall or an incomplete 
state of something; the state of not being a 
whole or of being partial ; incompleteness ; im- 
perfection. 
The essence of all jokes, of all comedy, seems to be an 
honest or well-intended harness; a non -performance of 
what is pretended to he performed, at the same time that 
one is giving loud pledges of performance. 
Emfrson, Letters and Social Aims, p. 139. 
As soon as there is any departure from simplicity, and 
attempt at halfness, or good for me that is not good for 
him, my neighbour feels tht 
he wrong. 
Emerson, Compens 
ttion. 
half-netted (hafnefed), a. In hot., having 
only the outer layers reticulated: said of a 
plant or any part of it, as the roots of Gltiilio- 
lus communis. 
half-note (haf not), n. In musical notation, a 
note equivalent to one half of a whole I (= 
note; a minim (as shown in figure). => 
half-pace (haf pas), n. In arch., same as/ooi- 
jiace, 3. 
Against the wall, in the middle of the half-pact, is a 
chair placed for him. Bacon, New Atlantis. 
half-pay (hiif'pa'), . and a. I. . Half the 
amount of wages or salary; reduced pay (sel- 
dom literally half of the full pay) ; a reduced 
allowance paid to an officer when not in actual 
service, or after retirement at the end of a pre- 
scribed term. 
II. a. Receiving or entitled to half -pay : as, 
a half-pay officer. 
halfpence, . Plural of halfpenny. 
halfpenny (haf'pen"i, commonly ha'pe-ni), . 
and a. [< ME. halfpeny, halpeny, < AS. "heulf- 
jieniy (in healfpeiiig-tcurtli), < healf, half, + 
penig, penny.] I. n. ; pi. halfpence, halfpen- 
nies (haf 'pens, -peu'iz, or ha'peus, -pe-niz). 1. 
half-sovereign 
half-port (haf port), n, Naut., one of the two 
parts (called upper and lower half-ports) into 
which is divided a shutter having a semicircu- 
lar hole to fit round a gun, and serving to close 
a port in a ship. 
half-price (hiif'pris'), . and a. I. n. Half the 
ordinary price, or half of some established rate ; 
specifically, in England, a reduced charge for 
admission to a place of amusement when part 
of the entertainment is over. 
A man o' th' town dines late, but soon enough . . . 
T ensure a side-box station at half-price. 
Cowper, Task, ii. 624. 
II. a. Costing half the usual sum. 
They amuse themselves with theatrical converse, aris- 
ing out of their last half -price visit fb the Victoria gallery. 
Dickmts, Sketches, Scenes, ii. 
half-price (hiif'pris'), adv. [Abbr. of at half- 
price.] At half the ordinary price. 
half-principal (haf'prin"si-pal), n. In carp., 
a roof-member or rafter that does not reach 
to the ridge-pole, but is supported at the top 
by a purlin. 
half-read (haf'red), . Superficially informed 
by reading. 
The clown unread, and half-read gentleman. 
Dryden, Hind and Panther, ili. 409. 
half-relief (haf're-lef "), n. In sculp., relief 
midway between "high relief and low relief; 
mezzo-rilievo ; demi-relief. 
half-rest (haf rest), n. A rest equivalent to a 
half-note ; a minim-rest, -- 
half-round (haf round'), n. and a. I. . 1. A 
hemisphere. 
In her forehead's fair half-round, 
Love sits in open triumph crown'd. 
Prior. 
Obveree. Reverse. 
Halfpenny of Charles II., British Museum. (Size of the original.) 
A coin of the value of half a penny, current in 
the British islands ; the value of such coin. The 
halfpenny was first issued in the reign of Edward I., and 
was of silver. In the reign of Charles II. copper was used. 
Since 1860 it has been of bronze. 
2. A small fragment. [Only in Shakspere's 
use.] 
She tore the letter into a thousand halfpence. 
Shak., Much Ado, U. 3. 
To have one's hand on one's halfpenny t, to be atten- 
tive to any particular object. Nare*. 
Ri. Dromio, looke heere, now is my hand on my halfe- 
peny. 
Half. Thou liest, thou hast not a farthing to lay thy 
hands on, I am none of thine. Lyly, Mother Bombie, ii. 1. 
II. a. Of the price or value of half a penny ; 
hence, cheap ; mean ; worthless. 
half-pike (haf plk), n. 1 . A spear-headed wea- 
pon with a shaft about half the length of that 
of the ordinary pike. One form of this weapon, also 
called spontoon, was formerly carried by infantry officers ; 
another form, called boarding-pike, is used in the navy in 
repelling boarders. 
2. Military exercise with the half-pike. 
Well, He trie one course with theeat the halfe pike, and 
then goe ; come, draw thy pike. U. Chettle, Hoffman. 
2. In arch. , a molding whose profile is a semi- 
circle. It may be either a bead or a torus. 
II. a. Semicircular or semicylindrical : as, a 
half-round file, etc. 
The building was a spacious theatre 
Half-round, on two main pillars vaulted high. 
Milton, S. A., L 1608. 
Half-round bit, spade, etc. See the nouns. 
half-royal (haf roi'al), H. In the paper trade, 
a kind of millboard or pasteboard of which 
there are two sizes: small, 20J by 13 inches, 
and large, 21 by 14 inches. 
half-saved (haf savd), a. Half-witted. [Prov. 
Eng. and New Eng.] 
He [William Dove] was what is called half-taeed. Some 
of his faculties were more than ordinarily acute, but the 
power of self -conduct was entirely wanting in him. 
Southey, The Doctor, x. 
half-seas-over (haf 'sez-6'ver). If. Well on the 
way ; pretty far advanced. 
I am half-seax-o'er to death : 
And since I must die once. I would be loth 
To make a double work of what's half-flnish'd. 
Dryden. 
2. Pretty far gone in drink ; half drunk ; tipsy. 
"Holla, Dick Admiral," cried Neptune, who was pretty 
far gone in liquor, . . . "I'm going home." "I thought 
thou wert there all along, being already half-seas-over," 
said Gary. "Ay,right, Vpsee-Dutch." 
Kingtley, Westward Ho, ii. 
half-shell (haf 'shel'), . One shell of a bivalve : 
as, oysters served on the half-shell (that is, with 
the upper shell removed, and the oyster served 
raw on the lower one). 
half-Shift (haf shift), n. See shift. 
half-shott (haf shot), n. A bullet of smaller 
caliber than that of the musket or harquebus; 
hence, a light firearm carrying such a bullet. 
See de mi-hag. 
half-sighted (haf 'si* ted), a. Seeing imper- 
fectly ; having weak discernment. 
The officers of the king's household had need be provi- 
dent, both for his honour and thrift ; they must look both 
ways, else they are but half-sighted. Bacon. 
half-Sister (haf'sis"ter), . [< ME. halfsuster 
= Gr. halbschwester='Dsin. halrsoster=Sw. half- 
syster; < half + sister.] A sister by one parent 
only. 
half-snipe (haf snip), n. The European jack- 
snipe or lesser snipe, Scolopax or Limnocryptes 
gallinula, the greater snipe being called double- 
snipe. 
half-sole (haf'sol'), n. That part of the sole 
of a boot or shoe which extends forward from 
the shank of the sole to the toe. 
half-sole (haf'sol), v. t. [< half-sole, .] To 
repair by putting on a new half-sole: as, to 
half-sole a shoe. 
half-Sovereign (haf'sov*e-ran), n. A British 
gold coin worth 10 shillings, and weighing about 
61.6372 grains troy. See sovereign. 
