halve

UK: /ˈhɑːv/ US: /hæv/ ,(hav, häv)

Inflections of 'halve' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

halves

v 3rd person singular

halving

v pres p

halved

v past

halved

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

halve /hæv/   v. [~ + object] , halved, halv•ing. 

1. to divide into two equal parts;
   to share equally:
   Halve the apple so we can both eat it.
2. to reduce to half:
   Profits were halved when the new tax was introduced.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

halve  (hav, häv), v.t., 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. Sport [Golf.] to play (a hole, round, or match) in the same number of strokes as one's opponent.
5. Idioms 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.

• Middle English halven, derivative of half 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

halve / hɑːv/ verb (transitive)

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

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