halve

[ hav, hahv ]

verb (used with object)

, halved, halv·ing.

1. to divide into two equal parts.
2. to share equally:

   to halve one's rations with a stranger.

3. to reduce to half.
4. Golf. to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent.

halve

/ hɑːv /

verb

1. to divide into two approximately equal parts
2. to share equally
3. to reduce by half, as by cutting
4. golf to take the same number of strokes on (a hole or round) as one's opponent

Other Words From

• un·halved adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of halve¹

1250–1300; Middle English halven, derivative of half

Word History and Origins

Origin of halve¹

Old English hielfan; related to Middle High German helben; see half

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. halve together, to join (two pieces of wood) by cutting from one, at the place of joining, a portion fitting to that left solid in the other.

Example Sentences

These have yet to be defined, but are likely to include reducing knife crime and violence against women and girls - which Labour made high-profile promises to halve within a decade ahead of July's election.

From BBC

Steffan Evans from The Bevan Foundation said the percentage of social homes as the total of the housing stock had almost halved in 40 years.

From BBC

The government has made reducing knife crime a priority with a target of halving offences by 2034.

From BBC

The switch towards greener energy has already halved the UK's annual greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 - but the CCC has previously said further reductions will be difficult without lifestyle changes.

From BBC

She told us of “one conversation I had along the lines of, ‘Well, Suella, if you want to halve net migration to 300,000, you realise that's going to cost us £3 billion.

From BBC