Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

half the battle

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.81 in modern English

Syllables
half the -bat-tle
IPA
24
Scrabble Score
13
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

A large part of what it takes to accomplish something.

Example Sentences

Etymology

A figure of speech that goes back centuries. Although the collocation knowing is half the battle long predates the G.I. Joe cartoon series, its pop-culture ubiquity in the 21st century is explained by that popularization.

Phrases

half the story the more you know you don't know the half of it

Frequently Paired Words

half the story the more you know you don't know the half of it

Questions

What does half the battle mean?
A large part of what it takes to accomplish something.
Where does half the battle come from?
A figure of speech that goes back centuries. Although the collocation knowing is half the battle long predates the G.I. Joe cartoon series, its pop-culture ubiquity in the 21st century is explained by that popularization.

How to pronounce half the battle

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “half the battle”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “half the battle”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “half the battle” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.