half pint

[ haf pahynt, hahf haf pahynt, hahf ]

noun

1. half of a pint, equal to 8 fluid ounces (1 cup) or 16 tablespoons (0.2 liter).
2. Informal. a very short person.
3. Slang. a person of little importance or influence.

Word History and Origins

Origin of half pint¹

First recorded in 1605–15

Example Sentences

“Those older men, with their half pint of whiskey bottles in their pockets, gathered me up and took me up there,” he said.

From Washington Times

In 1868's "Eggs, and How to Use Them," chef Adolphe Meyer describes two main ways to coagulate those classes of matter such that they can be considered fried: the "French method," wherein an egg is submerged in a half pint of hot fat, and the "second method," where eggs are broken into a hot frying pan with an ounce of fat.

From Salon

When Jemison began producing local artists such as Half Pint and Black Crucial, Dixon accompanied him to the Channel One recording studio where he observed engineer Anthony “Soljie” Hamilton at work.

From The Guardian

They also have Idles’ anger at inequality in society – two of their number work with a social enterprise to help vulnerable young people make music – and raggedly brilliant tunes such as Half Pint Fatherhood will get circle pits instantly opening up.

From The Guardian

His first can was a half pint of Heineken - and the oldest can in the collection dates from 1936.

From BBC

Related Words

• feeble
• frail
• inconsequential
• measly
• paltry
• tiny
• trivial