half [OE] The ancient root of half meant ‘side’, and this was the first meaning in English—a half of something was one of its two sides. The phrase at half cock [M18th], ‘when only partly ready’, comes from early firearms, and describes a flintlock pistol misfiring. The cock was the lever which was raised into position ready to be released when the trigger was pulled. A pistol at half cock had the lever raised halfway and held by the catch, which in theory ensured that it could not be fired even if the trigger was pulled. Inevitably the occasional pistol would be faulty and go off early, at half cock. See also hang. The halfpenny [OE] was the smallest unit of the old British currency from 1961 until decimalization. A halfpennyworth [OE], also spelled ha’p’orth to represent a common pronunciation, was a small amount, and so the proverb don’t spoil the ship for a ha’p’orth of tar recorded from 1623, reflects on the miserliness that can spoil something of much greater value. The saying is not nautical, but referred to the use of tar to keep flies off sores on sheep: ship was a dialect pronunciation of sheep.