half-cocked
[ haf-kokt, hahf- ]
/ ˈhæfˈkɒkt, ˈhɑf- /
adjective
(of a firearm) at the position of half cock.
lacking mature consideration or enough preparation; ill-considered or ill-prepared; half-baked.
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Commas mark divisions in sentences. Periods end declarative sentences. Apostrophes show possession. Easy, right? Well, punctuation can get pretty tricky—fast. Think you got what it takes to be a punctuation expert? Take our quiz to prove it!
Question 1 of 10
Which of the options below is the best punctuation for the sentence? It__s your turn to pick the movie __ but your sister gets to pick the board game we _ re going to play.
Its your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie but your sister gets to pick the board game were going to play.
It’s your turn to pick the movie, but your sister gets to pick the board game we’re going to play.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUTIdioms for half-cocked
go off half-cocked, to act or happen prematurely: He went off half-cocked and told everyone the news.Also go off at half cock.
Origin of half-cocked
First recorded in 1800–10
Words nearby half-cocked
half-cell, half-century, half-circle, half-closed, half-cock, half-cocked, half-completed, half-concealed, half-conscious, half-convinced, half-cooked
Definition for half-cocked (2 of 2)
half-cock
[ haf-kok, hahf- ]
/ ˈhæfˈkɒk, ˈhɑf- /
verb (used with object)
to set the hammer of (a firearm) at half cock.
Origin of half-cock
First recorded in 1825–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for half-cocked
British Dictionary definitions for half-cocked (1 of 2)
half-cocked
adjective
(of a firearm) at half-cock
British Dictionary definitions for half-cocked (2 of 2)
half-cock
noun
on a single-action firearm, a halfway position in which the hammer can be set for safety; in this position the trigger is cocked by the hammer which cannot reach the primer to fire the weapon
go off at half-cock or go off half-cocked
- to fail as a result of inadequate preparation or premature starting
- to act or function prematurely
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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