HALF-MAN. A landsman or boy in a coaster, undeserving the pay of a full-man.
HALF-MAST. The lowering a flag in respect for the death of an officer.
HALF-MINUTE GLASS. See [Glass].
HALF-MOON. An old form of outwork somewhat similar to the ravelin, originally placed before the salients of bastions.
HALF-PIKE. An iron spike fixed on a short ashen staff, used to repel the assault of boarders, and hence frequently termed a boarding-pike.
HALF-POINT. A subdivision of the compass card, equal to 5° 37′ of the circle.
HALF-PORTS. A sort of one-inch deal shutter for the upper half of those ports which have no hanging lids; the lower half-port is solid and hinged, having a semicircle cut out for the gun when level, and falling down outwards when ready for action; the upper half-port fits loosely into rabbets, and is secured only by laniards.
HALF-SEA. The old term for mid-channel.
HALF SEAS OVER. Nearly intoxicated. This term was used by Swift.
HALF-SPEED! An order in steam navigation to reduce the speed. (See [Full Speed!])