Definition of half-assed
1
slang, often vulgar
: lacking significance, adequacy, or completeness
… a half-assed attempt at generative semantics.— James D. McCawley Note how they want and get full credit for every little half-ass act of generosity they perform.— George Garrett Several jets were indeed clogged, and it took about five minutes to do a half-assed job of cleaning them out, good enough to get them through until tomorrow and a more thorough cleaning.— Richard Russo
2
slang, often vulgar
: lacking intelligence, character, or effectiveness
… said that the Administration had no intention of allowing "a bunch of half-assed people to send foreigners into combat."— Seymour M. Hersh … had been beaten up by every half-assed bully all through his miserable childhood …— Joseph Wambaugh
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for half-assed
The first known use of half-assed was circa 1932
See more words from the same year