half-ass

See also: half ass

English

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Alternative forms

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half-arse (UK , Ireland , Commonwealth )

Etymology

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From half +‎ -ass , see half-assed .

Pronunciation

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(General American ) IPA ^(key): /ˈhæfæs/
Audio (Southern England ): (file)

Adjective

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half-ass (comparative more half-ass, superlative most half-ass)

(slang , somewhat vulgar ) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent.
Synonym: half-assed

Coordinate terms: quarter-assed , whole-ass
- 1969, The End of the Road by John Barth (page 155)
  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

Derived terms

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half-assery

Translations

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produced in an incompetent manner

Finnish: puolivillainen (fi)
Italian: fatto col culo
Polish: niedorobiony , na pół gwizdka (pl)
Portuguese: feito nas coxas (pt) , meia-boca (pt)
Russian: тя́п-ля́п (ru) (tjáp-ljáp), на отъеби́сь (ru) (na otʺjebísʹ), че́рез жо́пу (ru) (čérez žópu)
Spanish: chapucero (es) , cutre (es) , fulastre (es) , frangollón (es) , frangollero , fulero (es) , charanguero
Swedish: halvarslad (sv)

Verb

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half-ass (third-person singular simple present half-asses , present participle half-assing , simple past and past participle half-assed )

(slang , somewhat vulgar , transitive ) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly.
Coordinate terms: quarter-ass , whole-ass

Near-synonyms: phone in , shortchange , underdo
- 1999, W. Peter Iliff, Varsity Blues , spoken by Mox (James Van Der Beek):
  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.
- 2002, Guardians of the Eagle by John D. Messer (page 102)
  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.

Related terms

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wing it

Translations

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to perform a task incompletely or carelessly

French: bâcler (fr)
Polish: robić na pół gwizdka impf, zrobić na pół gwizdka pf
Portuguese: fazer nas coxas (pt)
Russian: халтурить (ru) (xalturitʹ)
Spanish: chapucear (es) , chambonear (es) , chancar (es) (Bolivia), machetear (es) , emburrar (es) , frangollar (es) , embarullar (es)
Swedish: halvarsla (sv)