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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

half-ass en · ADJ

Pronunciation

  • /ˈhæfæs/ (General-American)
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From half + -ass, see half-assed.

Meanings

  1. (slang, vulgar) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent.
    • the only abortion she could get even in the city would be a half-ass job by some half-ass doctor who could mess her up for the rest of her life 1969, The End of the Road by John Barth (page 155)

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more half-ass Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most half-ass Degree=Sup lexicographic
half-arse Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, alternative lexicographic

Coordinates

quarter-assed · whole-ass

Deriveds

half-assery

Synonyms

half-assed

Translations (17)

es frangollero (produced in an incompetent manner) · pl na pół gwizdka (produced in an incompetent manner) · es charanguero (produced in an incompetent manner) · es chapucero (produced in an incompetent manner) · ru че́рез жо́пу (produced in an incompetent manner) · it fatto col culo (produced in an incompetent manner) · pt meia-boca (produced in an incompetent manner) · pl niedorobiony (produced in an incompetent manner) · es frangollón (produced in an incompetent manner) · pt feito nas coxas (produced in an incompetent manner) · ru тя́п-ля́п (produced in an incompetent manner) · fi puolivillainen (produced in an incompetent manner) · es fulastre (produced in an incompetent manner) · es fulero (produced in an incompetent manner) · ru на отъеби́сь (produced in an incompetent manner) · es cutre (produced in an incompetent manner) · sv halvarslad (produced in an incompetent manner)

half-ass en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈhæfæs/ (General-American)
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From half + -ass, see half-assed.

Meanings

  1. (slang, transitive, vulgar) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly.
    • Now, we go out there and we half-ass it because we're scared, all we're left with is an excuse. We're always gonna wonder. But, we go out there and we give it absolutely everything… that's heroic. 1999, W. Peter Iliff, Varsity Blues, spoken by Mox (James Van Der Beek):
    • if you're working for me and I send you to do a job and you half-ass it, that reflects on me. In civilian life, we'd just fire you. Here I can't get rid of you. 2002, Guardians of the Eagle by John D. Messer (page 102)
    • Near-synonyms: phone in, shortchange, underdo

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
half-assed Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
half-assed Tense=Past lexicographic
half-assing Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
half-asses Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
half-arse Commonwealth, Ireland, UK, alternative lexicographic

Coordinates

quarter-ass · whole-ass

Relateds

half ass · wing it

Synonyms

shortchange · underdo · phone in

Translations (13)

pt fazer nas coxas (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · pl robić na pół gwizdka (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · fr bâcler (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es frangollar (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es chancar (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es chambonear (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es embarullar (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es chapucear (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es emburrar (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · es machetear (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · pl zrobić na pół gwizdka (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · sv halvarsla (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly) · ru халтурить (to perform a task incompletely or carelessly)