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Half-time: meaning, definitions and examples

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half-time

[ ˈhɑːfˌtaɪm ]

Noun

^{Context #1 | Noun}

sports

A period of rest or break between two halves of a game, typically lasting around 15-20 minutes. It allows players to recharge and coaches to adjust strategies.

Synonyms

intermission, interval.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
half-time	Used mainly in sports, especially in football (soccer) and American football. It refers to the break between the two halves of a match. The team was losing 2-0 at half-time. They made several substitutions during half-time.
intermission	Commonly used in the context of theater, opera, and other live performances to describe the break between acts or parts of the performance. We got drinks during the intermission. The actor gave a speech during the intermission.
interval	Used mainly in British English to describe the break between parts of a performance, like a play or a concert. It can also refer to a break in other contexts, such as meetings or training sessions. There will be a 20-minute interval between the two acts. We had a short interval for tea during the meeting.

Word

Description / Examples

half-time

Used mainly in sports, especially in football (soccer) and American football. It refers to the break between the two halves of a match.

The team was losing 2-0 at half-time.
They made several substitutions during half-time.

intermission

Commonly used in the context of theater, opera, and other live performances to describe the break between acts or parts of the performance.

We got drinks during the intermission.
The actor gave a speech during the intermission.

interval

Used mainly in British English to describe the break between parts of a performance, like a play or a concert. It can also refer to a break in other contexts, such as meetings or training sessions.

There will be a 20-minute interval between the two acts.
We had a short interval for tea during the meeting.

Examples of usage

The players went to the locker room during half-time.
During half-time, the coach gave a motivational speech to the team.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

workplace

A break in the middle of a workday, usually lasting from 30 minutes to an hour. Employees can use this time to relax, eat lunch, or run errands.

Synonyms

lunch break, midday break.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
half-time	This can also refer to a break in the middle of a work shift, especially in jobs where shifts are long, but it is less commonly used in this manner. He usually has his tea during the half-time break at the factory.
lunch break	This is widely used in a work or school setting to describe the time allocated for eating lunch, typically around the middle of the day. Let's discuss the project during lunch break. She went out for a quick workout during her lunch break.
midday break	This is a more formal or neutral term for a break around noon, and can refer to any mid-day pause in activities, not necessarily connected to eating lunch. The meeting will resume after the midday break. He likes to meditate during his midday break.

Word

Description / Examples

half-time

This can also refer to a break in the middle of a work shift, especially in jobs where shifts are long, but it is less commonly used in this manner.

He usually has his tea during the half-time break at the factory.

lunch break

This is widely used in a work or school setting to describe the time allocated for eating lunch, typically around the middle of the day.

Let's discuss the project during lunch break.
She went out for a quick workout during her lunch break.

midday break

This is a more formal or neutral term for a break around noon, and can refer to any mid-day pause in activities, not necessarily connected to eating lunch.

The meeting will resume after the midday break.
He likes to meditate during his midday break.

Examples of usage

I always take my lunch break during half-time at work.
During half-time, I like to go for a walk to clear my mind.

Translations

Translations of the word "half-time" in other languages:

🇵🇹 intervalo

🇮🇳 अर्धकाल

🇩🇪 Halbzeit

🇮🇩 waktu istirahat

🇺🇦 перерва

🇵🇱 przerwa

🇯🇵 ハーフタイム

🇫🇷 mi-temps

🇪🇸 medio tiempo

🇹🇷 yarı zaman

🇰🇷 하프타임

🇸🇦 نصف الوقت

🇨🇿 poločas

🇸🇰 polčas

🇨🇳 半场

🇸🇮 polčas

🇮🇸 hálfleikur

🇰🇿 жарты уақыт

🇬🇪 ნახევარი დრო

🇦🇿 yarım vaxt

🇲🇽 medio tiempo

Etymology

The term 'half-time' originated in the world of sports, specifically referring to the break between two halves of a game. Over time, it has been adopted in other contexts, such as the workplace, to signify a break or intermission in an activity. The concept of 'half-time' emphasizes the importance of taking a pause to rest, recharge, and regroup before continuing with the next phase of an event or task.