half-ass

• (Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, UK) half-arse

See half-assed.

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

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

1. (vulgar) Produced in an incompetent or desultory manner, or of something lacking in quality or substance; of low rank; incompetent.
   • 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, vulgar, transitive) To perform a task incompletely or carelessly.
   • 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-assed
• half ass
• phone in