half-pay

/'hɑ:f'pei/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
half-pay

The employee receives half-pay while on reduced hours.

Definition

Noun 1. A reduced salary, typically half of one's full salary, paid to an employee who is not working full time or is in a temporary non-active status: This term historically often referred to military officers, civil servants, or other officials who were retained on a roster but not in active service, receiving a reduced income.

Examples of Usage
  • The retired colonel was placed on half-pay until he was called back to duty.
  • During the company's restructuring, some senior staff were offered half-pay to remain on call as consultants.
  • The officer lived on half-pay for several years after his regiment was disbanded.
Advanced Usage
  • "To be on half-pay": This is the most common collocation, describing the state of receiving this reduced salary.
    • After the war, many officers found themselves on half-pay for a long time.
  • "To be placed/put on half-pay": Describes the action of assigning someone to this status.
    • The injured firefighter was placed on half-pay during his extended recovery.
Variants and Related Words
  • Half-pay list (noun): A historical term for the official roster of officers receiving half-pay.
  • Half-pay officer (noun): An officer receiving half-pay.
Synonyms
  • Reduced pay/salary
  • Retainer (in some contexts, as a fee for availability)
  • Standby pay (implies readiness to work, whereas half-pay is often for inactive status)
Notes on Meaning and Usage
  • Historical Context: The term "half-pay" is strongly associated with 18th and 19th-century military and naval practice, where officers could be "on the half-pay list" when not needed for active service. While still understood, it is less common in modern general business English, where terms like "reduced hours," "part-time pay," or "furlough pay" might be used.
  • Proportion: Although "half" suggests exactly 50%, the term can be used more loosely to mean a significantly reduced salary, not necessarily precisely half.
  • Status: It often implies a temporary or standby status rather than a permanent part-time employment arrangement. The recipient is usually still considered an employee or member of the organization, just not in active duty.
half-pay

The employee receives half-pay while on reduced hours.

Noun
  1. reduced wage paid to someone who is not working full time