Meaning of do by halves | Babel Free

Definitions

To perform (a task, etc) partially or incompletely; to do (something) inadequately, halfheartedly, or shoddily.

idiomatic, transitive

Examples

“[A] pedestrian tour of Europe could not be complete without them. Of course that decided me at once to see them, for I never allow myself to do things by halves, or in a slurring, slipshod way.”

“Rin-Tin-Tin does nothing by halves, for he tracks the murderer himself and kills him.”

“Never do anything by halves if you want to get away with it. Be outrageous. Go the whole hog!”

“If there was one word to describe her, it was "intense" - so well chosen in her brother Michael's moving eulogy. Nothing, absolutely nothing was done by halves. . . . Her commitment was total.”

CEFR level