do\ things\ by\ halves

do\ things\ by\ halves
v. phr.
To do things in a careless and incomplete way.

When he reads a book he always does it by halves; he seldom finishes it.


Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • do things by halves — (not) do anything/things by halves if you do not do things by halves, you always make a lot of effort and do things very well. I didn t realise you were decorating the whole house! Oh, we don t do things by halves round here …   New idioms dictionary

  • not do things by halves — (not) do anything/things by halves if you do not do things by halves, you always make a lot of effort and do things very well. I didn t realise you were decorating the whole house! Oh, we don t do things by halves round here …   New idioms dictionary

  • never do things by halves — not/never do things by halves INFORMAL ► to always put as much effort and enthusiasm into doing things as possible in order to achieve success: »You have to admire her determination she never does things by halves. Main Entry: ↑halves …   Financial and business terms

  • not do things by halves — not/never do things by halves INFORMAL ► to always put as much effort and enthusiasm into doing things as possible in order to achieve success: »You have to admire her determination she never does things by halves. Main Entry: ↑halves …   Financial and business terms

  • not/never do things by halves — INFORMAL ► to always put as much effort and enthusiasm into doing things as possible in order to achieve success: »You have to admire her determination she never does things by halves. Main Entry: ↑halves …   Financial and business terms

  • not do things by halves — ► not do things by halves do things thoroughly or extravagantly. Main Entry: ↑half …   English terms dictionary

  • do things by halves — {v. phr.} To do things in a careless and incomplete way. * /When he reads a book he always does it by halves; he seldom finishes it./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • do things by halves — {v. phr.} To do things in a careless and incomplete way. * /When he reads a book he always does it by halves; he seldom finishes it./ …   Dictionary of American idioms

  • halves — [hɑːvz ǁ hævz] adverb go halves informal to share something equally: • We decided to go halves on the investment. * * * halves UK US /hɑːvz/ US  /hævz/ noun [plural] ● not/never do things by halves Cf. not/never do things by halves …   Financial and business terms

  • not do things by halves — not do things/anything/by halves phrase to do things very thoroughly and with a lot of energy He’ll throw a great party – he doesn’t do anything by halves. Thesaurus: to do something well or better than someone elsesynonym Main entry …   Useful english dictionary

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