To divide something into two equal parts or to reduce something to half its original size or amount.
From Old English healf, meaning 'half,' combined with the verb suffix -en. Related to Germanic languages (German halb) and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning 'to cut' or 'to divide.'
The 'v' in halve is deceptive—many English speakers mispronounce it as 'half' instead of 'halv,' which is a classic example of how spelling doesn't always match modern pronunciation patterns in English.
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