half

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half adj. OE. h(e)alf = OS. (Du.) half, (O)HG. halb, ON. hálfr, Goth. halbs :- Gmc. *χalbaz; ult. connections doubtful. Applied to relatives that are such on one side only, as half-brother (XIV), half-sister (XIII), prob. — ON. Comp. halfpenny (XIV), in OE. healfpeniġwurð (see WORTH), whence †halpeny, ha'penny, †halp(w)orth, ha'p'orth. Also sb. †side; one of two equal parts. OE. h(e)alf = OS. halba, OHG. halba, ON. hálfa region, part, lineage, Goth. halba side, half.
So half adv. OE. in comb., e.g. healfcwicu ‘half-alive’, half-dead, healfrēad reddish, and in correl. use, e.g. healf man healf assa half man half ass (onocentaur). Hence halve divide into two. XIII.

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