the half of it

== English == === Phrase === the half of it (idiomatic, informal, chiefly in the negative) Only a part of something; not the full picture. Typically it is implied to be the most important part. ==== Usage notes ==== Often used to say that a situation is worse than it might seem on its face. Often used in the expression "to not know the half of it," defined as "to not know the full extent of a problem, etc." ==== Translations ==== === Further reading === “the half of it”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022. “the half of it”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present. “half of it”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present. “not know the half of it”, in Cambridge English Dictionary, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1999–present.