half-ass

• half-arse (UK, Ireland, Commonwealth)

From half +‎ -ass, see half-assed.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈhæfæs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

half-ass (comparative more half-ass, superlative most half-ass)

1. (slang, somewhat vulgar) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent.

   Synonym: half-assed

   Coordinate terms: quarter-assed, whole-ass

   • 1969, The End of the Road by John Barth (page 155)

     the only abortion she could get even in the city would be a half-ass job by some half-ass doctor who could mess her up for the rest of her life

half-ass (third-person singular simple present half-asses, present participle half-assing, simple past and past participle half-assed)

1. (slang, somewhat vulgar, transitive) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly.

   Coordinate terms: quarter-ass, whole-ass

   Near-synonyms: phone in, shortchange, underdo

   • 1999, W. Peter Iliff, Varsity Blues, spoken by Mox (James Van Der Beek):

     Now, we go out there and we half-ass it because we're scared, all we're left with is an excuse. We're always gonna wonder. But, we go out there and we give it absolutely everything… that's heroic.

   • 2002, Guardians of the Eagle by John D. Messer (page 102)

     if you're working for me and I send you to do a job and you half-ass it, that reflects on me. In civilian life, we'd just fire you. Here I can't get rid of you.

• half ass (“onager”)