Meaning & use
cut in half
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Meanings
phrasetransitive
To divide something into two equal parts with a knife or other tool.
Grammar: Takes an object: 'cut the bread in half'. The object usually comes before 'in half'.
Patterns
- cut something in half
- cut something in half with something
She cut the apple in half and gave me one piece.
Cut the paper in half along the line.
He cut the sandwich in half with a sharp knife.
phrasetransitivefigurative
To reduce something by half, especially an amount, price, or time.
Grammar: Used with amounts: 'cut the price in half'. Often passive: 'was cut in half'.
Patterns
- cut something in half
- be cut in half
The company cut the price in half for the sale.
Our travel time was cut in half by the new road.
They cut the number of meetings in half.
Common combinations
- cut it in half
- The cake is too big; cut it in half.
- cut the price in half
- The store cut the price in half for one day.
- cut something in half with a knife
- He cut the melon in half with a knife.
- be cut in half
- The long journey was cut in half by the new train.
Synonyms and how they differ
- halve
- 'Halve' is more formal and means the same as 'cut in half'; use 'halve' in writing and 'cut in half' in everyday speech.
- split
- 'Split' can mean divide into two, but it often suggests breaking apart rather than cutting cleanly with a tool.
Opposites
Commonly confused: cut in half or cut into halves?
cut in half vs cut into halves
This is a less common way to say the same thing; 'cut in half' is the standard phrase.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
The object usually comes before 'in half': 'cut the orange in half'. Option A puts the object in the wrong place; C uses 'in halves', which is not the normal phrase; D has no object after 'cut'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “cut in half”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.