halve
halve — verb
- halvepresent simple I / you / we / they
- halveshe / she / it
- halvedpast simple
- halving-ing form
1. to make something fifty percent less than it was, or to separate it into two par
to make something fifty percent less than it was, or to separate it into two parts that are the same size
Sari decided to halve the recipe because only two guests arrived.
halve + a number or amount
The workforce at the Carmona steel plant was halved when the factory moved overseas.
passive: be halved
Reema used a sharp knife to halve the apples for the pie.
The new bridge over the Tagus halved the drive between Almada and Lisbon.
Naoko carefully halved the cake so each child got an equal slice.
- cut in half
more informal, often for physical objects
- divide in two
emphasises the act of separating into two parts
- reduce by fifty percent
more formal, used in business or statistics
- double
to make something twice as large
文法句型
halve + something
用法筆記
Object can be a number or measurement (cost, time, amount) or a physical item (cake, apple). More specific than 'reduce' because it always means exactly fifty percent.
常見錯誤
2. to drop to one half of a previous level or amount
to drop to one half of a previous level or amount
The farm's apple harvest halved after a late frost destroyed the blossoms.
intransitive: a measurable quantity halves
The village well's water level halved after two summers without any rain.
The fishing village's daily catch halved after the new dam blocked the river.
Visitor numbers at the Edo-Tokyo Museum halved after the entrance fee was raised.
Attendance at the festival halved after the storm warning went out.
- drop by half
more informal, common in everyday speech
- fall by fifty percent
more formal, typical in reports
- double
to become twice as much
文法句型
something halves
用法筆記
Subject is always something measurable — a number, amount, price, or rate. Never used with a person as the subject.
常見錯誤
3. in golf, to tie with an opponent on a single hole or across an entire match by t
in golf, to tie with an opponent on a single hole or across an entire match by taking an equal number of strokes
Harper and Ziad halved the fourth hole, each finishing with four strokes.
halve a hole (golf)
Tamar and her opponent halved the match at the Tanglin course after a tight final hole.
Beatriz halved the last hole at the Casablanca Open to keep her hopes alive.
Rania halved the round by matching her opponent on the last hole at the Tunis course.
The two finalists halved every hole on the last nine holes of the Royal course.
- tie
general term; 'halve' is the specific golf term
文法句型
halve + a hole/round/match
用法筆記
Restricted to golf; not used in other sports. Can take a hole, a round, or a complete match as the object.