split the difference

to divide the difference evenly (with someone else). You want to sell for $120, and I want to buy for $100. Let's split the difference and close the deal at $110. I don't want to split the difference. I want $120.

See also: difference, split

split the difference

Compromise between two close figures, divide the remainder equally. For example, You're asking $5,000 for the car and I'm offering $4,000; let's split the difference and make it $4,500 . [c. 1700]

See also: difference, split

split the difference

take the average of two proposed amounts.

See also: difference, split

split the ˈdifference

agree on an amount of something, such as money, which is halfway between two others: John offered €60, but Peter wanted €100. Finally they split the difference and agreed on €80.

See also: difference, split

split the difference

To take half of a disputed amount as a compromise.

See also: difference, split

References in periodicals archive ?

The purchase price of $23,000 per acre for the supposed Mahaffey property nearly split the difference between the $14,000-per-acre port appraisal for the asset and the $30,000-per-acre price of the Mahaffey family's appraisal.

United States : GBR PORT finally acquires land from a family

It was around 50 yards further than Palmer, and 72-year-old Nicklaus then split the difference between them.

Legends lead the Masters

They closed weather stations in Bolivia high in the Andes and took readings from warmer stations in the Amazon basin and Peruvian coast and then split the difference.

Remit is flawed; Your say

A few years ago, we decided to split the difference by heading to Ireland.

Chapter & VERSO; This versatile Toyota really does live up to its MPV tagging - it's stylish, comfortable and drives well, too, finds MIKE TORPEY

It's a more difficult language for modern readers to understand, but I didn't want to make it completely modern, so I split the difference.

Beach Books: 'Return to Treasure Island,' by John O'Melveny Woods

The two parties split the difference, reaching an agreement at the exact midpoint between them.

Cubs Sign Carlos Marmol to 1-yr, $2.125M Deal to Avoid Arbitration

You may be able to get them to split the difference again.

Power negotiating: skills for today's tough times

President Bush, showing something less than the wisdom of Solomon, tried to split the difference by funding research on existing stem-cell lines.

Taxes & death

In the event he has split the difference and settled for 5000.

An optimistic view of the rollercoaster; city view

The dozens of tracks recorded during this time were pared down and released on the Tc had Blake produced Split the Difference in 2004.

Bring It On played live in Brum; Music

The dozens of tracks recorded during this time were pared down and released on the Tchad Blake-produced Split the Difference in 2004.

Bring back the good times; Gomez is at the Carling Academy Newcastle on Sunday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the award-winning Bring It On album. Entertainment Editor GORDON BARR has the details

2004 brought album number five, Split The Difference, hailed by the BBC as "one of the finest releases of the year".

Music: Gomez return with a new album, and tell Jade Wright they are

His goal is to split the difference between textbooks that load on the technical matters on the assumption that an instructor will be on hand, and popular accounts that avoid mathematics and any other dimension that might frighten general readers.

Probably not; future prediction using probability and statistical inference

The aluminum-frame Airweights split the difference in heft, and are seen by many as the most cost-effective choice.

Calibers, size drive handguns

Fast forward to now and Cudi is dropping uncomplicated tunes that split the difference between big shit bravado and shoulder shrug cool.