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Half vs Quarter - What's the difference?

half | quarter |

In obsolete terms the difference between half and quarter

is that half is part; side; behalf while quarter is to drive a carriage so as to prevent the wheels from going into the ruts, or so that a rut shall be between the wheels.

As adjectives the difference between half and quarter

is that half is consisting of a moiety, or half (1/2, 50%) while quarter is pertaining to an aspect of a quarter.

As nouns the difference between half and quarter

is that half is one of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided; — sometimes followed by of; as, a half of an apple while quarter is any one of four equal parts into which something has been divided.

As verbs the difference between half and quarter

is that half is to halve while quarter is to divide into quarters.

As an adverb half

is in two equal parts or to an equal degree; in some part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly.

As a preposition half

is a half-hour after, thirty minutes after used with the number of the hour.

half

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Consisting of a moiety, or half (1/2, 50%).
    • a half''' bushel''; ''a '''half''' hour''; ''a '''half''' dollar''; ''a '''half view
  • Consisting of some indefinite portion resembling a half; approximately a half, whether more or less; partial; imperfect.
    • a half''' dream''; '''''half knowledge
  • * :
    • Assumed from thence a half consent.
  • (of a sibling) Having one parent (rather than two) in common.
    • A (half brother) or (half sister)
  • Related through one common grandparent or ancestor rather than two.
    • A (half uncle) or (half aunt) or (half cousin)
  • (UK, time) Half an hour after the time given; half past.
    • We went to bed at half ten.

    Usage notes

    * The adjective and noun are often united to form a compound.

    Synonyms

    * hemi-, semi-, demi-

    Derived terms

    * half ape * half back * half bent * half binding * half boarder * half-breadth plan * half brother * half cadence * half cap * half cock * half cocked * half hitch * half hose * half-life * Half Life * half measure * half-moon * half note * half page * half pay * half price * half round * half shift * half sister * half step * half tide * half time * half tint * half truth * half year

    Adverb

    (-)
  • In two equal parts or to an equal degree; in some part approximating a half; partially; imperfectly
    • half'''-colored''; '''''half''' done''; '''''half'''-hearted''; '''''half''' persuaded''; '''''half conscious
  • * :
    • Half' loth and ' half consenting.
  • * Nehemiah 13:24 :
    • Their children spoke half in the speech of Ashdod.

    Noun

    (halves)
  • One of two usually roughly equal parts into which anything may be divided, or considered as divided; — sometimes followed by of; as, a half of an apple.
    • You don't know the half of it.
  • * (rfdate), :
    • Not half his riches known, and yet despised.
  • * (rfdate), :
    • A friendship so complete Portioned in halves between us
  • # (sports) One of the two opposite parts of the playing field of various sports, in which each starts the game.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 16, author=Ben Dirs, title=Rugby World Cup 2011: New Zealand 83-7 Japan, work=BBC Sport citation
    • , passage=However, the hosts hit back and hit back hard, first replacement hooker Andrew Hore sliding over, then Williams careering out of his own half and leaving several defenders for dead before flipping the ball to Nonu to finish off a scintillating move.}}
  • Half of a standard measure; frequently used (British) for half a pint of beer or cider.
  • * 1968 (British), John Braine, The Crying Game , Houghton Mifflin, p. 11,
    • He came back with a pint of Guinness for me and a half of bitter for Wendy.
  • * 1974 (British), James Herriot, All Things Bright and Beautiful , St. Martin's Press, ISBN 0312020309,
    • I accepted a half of bitter from him.
  • * 2006 (British), Bill Appleton, Wide Boy , Pegasus Elliot Mackenzie, ISBN 1843862530, p. 168,
    • I went to the bar where I bought a pint and two large brandies. ... "Not brandy," she replied, "but I could use a long drink - maybe a half of lager."
  • The fraction obtained by dividing 1 by 2.
    • Three-quarters minus a quarter is a half .
  • (obsolete) part; side; behalf
  • * (rfdate), Wyclif
  • *:
  • * (rfdate), :
    • The four halves of the house

    Synonyms

    *

    Derived terms

    * better half * by halves * cry halves * go halves * half a loaf is better than none * half and half * in half * in one's half * know the half of * not half * not half bad * other half * too clever by half

    Verb

  • To halve.

    • Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • a half-hour after, thirty minutes after (used with the number of the hour)
    • half one — half past one, 1:30

    See also

    * half-

    References

    *

    Statistics

    * English nouns with irregular plurals 1000 English basic words ----

    quarter

    English

    Etymology 1

    Via (etyl) quartier, from (etyl) quartarius, from quartus.

    Adjective

    (-) (also spelled with prefix (quarter-))
  • Pertaining to an aspect of a .
  • (chiefly) Consisting of a fourth part, a quarter (1/4, 25%).
  • * A quarter''' hour; a '''quarter''' century; a '''quarter''' note; a '''quarter pound.
  • (chiefly) Related to a three-month term, a quarter of a year.
  • * A quarter day is one terminating a quarter of the year.
  • * A quarter session is one held quarterly at the end of a quarter.
    • Derived terms
    * quarter blanket * quarter bottle * quarter century * quarter crack * quarter day * quarter final * quarter horse * quarter hour * quarter moon * quarter note * quarter pound * quarter session * quarter waiter * quarter year

    Noun

  • Any one of four equal parts into which something has been divided.
  • (US, Canada) A coin worth 25 cents (1/4 of a dollar).
  • A period of three consecutive months (1/4 of a year).
  • A section or area (of a town, etc.).
  • (uncountable) Accommodation granted to a defeated opponent
  • * 1955 , J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King , HarperCollinsPublishers (2007), p. 1110.
    • Hard fighting and long labour they had still; for the Southrons were bold men and grim, and fierce in despair, and the Easterlings were strong and war-hardened and asked for no quarter .
  • An old English measure of corn, containing 8 bushels.
  • * 1882 , James Edwin Thorold Rogers, A History of Agriculture and Prices in England , volume 4, p. 204.
    • One of these is 1 Hen. V, cap. 10, defining the quarter of corn to be eight struck bushels, and putting fines on purveyors who take more.
  • An old English measure of cloth, nine inches or four nails
  • (historical) Each of the four divisions or watches of a twelve-hour night.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, trans. Bible , Mark VI:
    • And aboute the fourth quartre of the nyght, he cam unto them, walkinge apon the see [...].
  • (heraldiccharge) A charge made up of a quarter of the shield, larger than a canton, and normally on the upper dexter side, formed by a perpendicular line from the top meeting a horizontal line from the side.
  • That part on either side of a horse's hoof between the toe and heel, being the side of the coffin.
  • * 1877 , (Anna Sewell), (Black Beauty) Chapter 23[http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Black_Beauty/23]
    • ...at last she kicked right over the carriage pole and fell down, after giving me a severe blow on my near quarter .
  • (nautical) The aftmost part of a vessel's side, roughly from the last mast to the stern.
  • (obsolete) Friendship; amity; concord.
  • * Shakespeare
    • In quarter , and in terms like bride and groom.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • I knew two that were competitors for the secretary's place, and yet kept good quarter between themselves.
  • A quartermaster sergeant; a quartermaster.
  • * 1925 , (Ford Madox Ford), No More Parades'', Penguin 2012 (''Parade's End ), p. 360:
    • Tietjens said: ‘Send the Canadian sergeant-major to me at the double….’ to the quarter .
    Synonyms
    * (one of four equal parts ): fourth, fourth part, * (period of three consecutive months ): trimester * (section of a town ): borough, district, region
    Derived terms
    * fat quarter * quarterly * quarters * quarter of * quarter past * quarter to
    Related terms
    * quart

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To divide into quarters.
  • To provide housing for military personnel or other equipment.
    • Quarter the horses in the third stable.
  • To lodge; to have a temporary residence.

    • References

    ; Adjective * "quarter" at Merriam-Webster * "quarter" in Harrap's Shorter , 2006, p. 761

    Etymology 2

    (etyl) cartayer

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To drive a carriage so as to prevent the wheels from going into the ruts, or so that a rut shall be between the wheels.
    • Every creature that met us would rely on us for quartering — De Quincey.
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