half-cocked

American  

[haf-kokt] / ˈhæfˈkɒkt /

adjective

1. (of a firearm) at the position of half cock.

2. lacking mature consideration or enough preparation; ill-considered or ill-prepared; half-baked.

---

idioms

1. go off half-cocked, to act or happen prematurely: Also go off at half cock.

   He went off half-cocked and told everyone the news.

half-cocked British  

adjective

1. (of a firearm) at half-cock

---

Etymology

Origin of half-cocked

First recorded in 1800–10

Example Sentences

To Rafael’s bildungsroman amid half-cocked terrorists and a love triangle with their leaders, add a spy-novel parody, a kaleidoscopic Christ narrative, a battery of literary references and a portrait of Cuban life under socialism.

From New York Times • Sep. 2, 2022

If the hammer was quarter or half-cocked, the gun “could not be made to fire without a pull of the trigger,” per the report cited by ABC News.

From Washington Times • Aug. 13, 2022

Even though Musk’s tactics this month appeared unconventional or even half-cocked, merger-and-acquisition experts say his strategy incorporated sound negotiation principles — with a twist of his distinctive, unpredictable style.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 25, 2022

Others were also unenthusiastic, with Henry Hitchings giving it two stars in The Evening Standard, and The Hollywood Reporter describing it as "half-cocked".

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2018

Quackenbush took advantage of a break in this line of conversation to announce that he would certainly stay at Devon through the year, however half-cocked others might rush off.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles

Related Words

• hasty
• ill-considered
• untimely