Green’s Dictionary of Slang

completely, totally, a mild intensifier, usu. modifying verbs, e.g. she hadn’t half made a mess, sometimes modifying adjs., e.g. not half great, and occas. nouns, e.g. not half a sportsman.

[1576		G. Gascoigne Steele Glas Ei: Simple snakes, which go not halfe so gay, Can leaue him yet a furlong in the field].
1815		D. Humphreys Yankey in England 49: No . . . I don’t half like it.
1824		R.B. Peake Americans Abroad I iii: I don’t half like these people.
1829		Belfast News-Letter 2 Jan. 4/1: I don’t half like the outside place.
1836		‘Riding St. George!’ Comic Songster and Gentleman’s Private Cabinet 30: I war’nt half a good ’un to ride!
1838		R. Nicholson Cockney Adventures 24 Feb. 132: You ar’n’t half a sportsman.
1840		Thackeray Shabby Genteel Story (1853) 29: I don’t half like him, I do declare!
1859		E. Eden Semi-Detached House (1979) 62: I don’t half like those ladies from India.
1860		E. Eden Semi-Attached Couple (1979) 137: I don’t half like your Spanish accounts.
1881		N.Z. Observer (Auckland) 15 Jan. 171/1: The children born on the ‘Lady Jocelyn’ have all been christened ‘Jocelyn,’ and not half a bad name either.
1889		Punch 23 Feb. n.p.: But his sable-trimmed pardner, a topper, with tootsies so tiny, dear boy, / Well I do not believe she arf minded, a spill is a thing gals enjoy.
1899		‘Pot’ & ‘Swears’ Scarlet City 145: I didn’t half like the job, Jack, I can tell you.
1907		Lone Hand (Sydney) June 182/2: ‘That’s not half a bad idea,‘ said Oxie.
1914		R. Tressell Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (1955) 144: It ain’t ’arf all right, I can tell you.
c.1921		T. Norman Penny Showman 21: Tom! You didn’t half used to be a nib!
1922		Joyce Ulysses 428: He ain’t half balmy.
1928		N.I. White Amer. Negro Folk-Songs 353: [reported from Auburn, AL, 1915–1916] Farmer said to boll weevil, / ‘What makes your head so red?’ / ‘Working in the hot sun – wonder I ain’t half dead.’.
1938		G. Kersh Night and the City 124: Somebody hasn’t half been sick.
1950		A. Buckeridge Jennings Goes To School 98: We aren’t ’arf ’aving a spring clean!
1959		W. Hall Long and the Short and the Tall Act II: [...] you won’t half give the family the bull. Will you be able to chat them up, boy, on how you won the war.
1960		(con. 1920s) D. Holman-Hunt My Grandmothers and I (1987) 143: You are kicking up a shindy! You won’t ’arf cop it.
1965		E. Bond Saved Scene i: Yer ain’ arf nosey.
1970		H.E. Bates A Little of What You Fancy (1985) 454: He don’t ’alf raise ’ell if he don’t ’ave ’is cigars, I tell you.
1977		S. Berkoff East in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 51: It weren’t half fun at first.
1983		A. Payne ‘Get Daley!’ Minder [TV script] 66: They ain’t half stingy with the pain killers in here.
1985		S. Berkoff West in Decadence and Other Plays (1985) 102: I fancy that and he don’t half love it as well.
2001		K. Sampson Outlaws (ms.) 20: For a big fella, I don’t half take the knock easy when it comes to the demon drink.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 101: Levin finally finished eating [...] ‘That wasn’t half bad,’ he said.