Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. more than mildly drunk but not yet incapable.

1802		Daily Advertiser (N.Y.) 5 Oct. 3/2: On enquiry, I found these amateurs were assembled to see a Boxing-Match, between a Mr. Crosby and a Scotch baker. [...] After waiting a considerable time to see the anticipated spectacle, the Scotch baker disappointed us. Crosby went away in triumph, half cut.
1870		Mercury (Hobart) 23 Apr. 2/5: [from the Stranraer Free Press] [...] on the loose, fu’ on, half-cut.
1922		Appleton Post-Crescent (WI) 4 May 9/4: Flapper Dictionary half-cut – Happily intoxicated, as distinguished from being Jammed or Stewed.
1936		J. Curtis Gilt Kid 214: The previous evening he had been half-cut and unable to see things in their real perspective.
1956		‘Charles Raven’ Und. Nights 30: Scotty had turned up at the meet half cut.
1972		A. Chipper Aussie Swearers Guide 52: Non-Aussies are sometimes surprised to hear that rotten is basic Australian for ‘drunk’. There is also a whole boozey flood of alternatives available, among them blithered, full as a goog, half-cut, molo and snockered.
1977		P. Reading ‘Diptyche’ in Nothing For Anyone 15: Then that little bloke (what was his name? He / seemed always half-cut, / Reading or something).
1986		C. Bowles G’DAY 108: Mr Foster is already half-cut when he gets to the reception. [...] He hops into the booze and pretty soon he’s nice and untidy.
1989		S. Armitage ‘Ten Pence Story’ in Zoom 64: Some half-cut, ham-fisted cockney tossed me / up into the air.
1991		(con. 1920s) O.D. Brooks Legs 160: Maybe the next time he gets half cut he’ll know he can’t take on the world.
1996		J. Cameron It Was An Accident 197: Most of CID always half cut on duty.
1996		(ref. to 1963) D. Healy Bend for Home 203: Mal Elliot is half shot and Dermot is half cut.
2005		B. Hare Urban Grimshaw 55: My friend, the Doctor, and I were returning half-cut from the chess club.
2010		L. Redhead Thrill City [ebook] JJ can’t help. He’s half cut [and] he’s got a broken wrist.
2019		A. Parks February’s Son 201: [S]ome wee boy in a kilt being given [...] a Coca-Cola by his half-cut dad.
2021		P. Papathanasiou Stoning 117: ‘Stupidly driving around town half-cut’.
2022		A. Parks May God Forgive 130: Two pints of Guinness and he was half cut.

2. (Aus./N.Z.) foolish, silly.

2003

McGill Reed Dict. of N.Z. Sl.