Definition of HALVE

halve

Verb

Verb Forms: halved, halving, halves

  • To divide something into two equal or nearly equal parts.
  • divide by two; divide into halves
    • "Halve the cake"
  • To reduce to half the original amount.
  • To divide into two halves.
  • To make up half of.
  • To join two pieces of timber etc. by cutting away each for half its thickness at the joining place, and fitting together.
  • In match play, to achieve a tie or draw on.

Examples

  • The opponent tried to HALVE her lead, but she extended her word for double points.

Origin / 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”).

Scrabble Score: 11

halve: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
halve: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
halve: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 12

halve: valid Words With Friends Word