Bill often goes off half cocked.
Mr. Jones was thinking about quilting his job, but his wife told him not to go at half cock.
Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". Оригинал: A.Маккей, М.Т.Боткер, Дж.И.Гейтс. 1997.
go off at half-cock — verb act prematurely or without reflection or too soon she wanted to quit her job but her mother told her not to go off half cocked • Syn: ↑go off half cocked • Hypernyms: ↑act, ↑move • Verb Frames: Somebody s … Useful english dictionary
go off at half cock — (informal) To begin too soon, when not properly prepared • • • Main Entry: ↑cock … Useful english dictionary
go off at half-cock — old fashioned, old fashioned to suddenly give your opinion without preparing what you are saying or understanding the subject you are talking about, often because you are angry. You don t listen. You just go off at half cock without even hearing… … New idioms dictionary
go off at half cock — Meaning Act hastily. Origin Flintlock rifles can be fired from full cock or half cock but only work well from full cock … Meaning and origin of phrases
half cock — noun 1. : the position of the hammer of a firearm when about half retracted and held by the sear so that it cannot be operated by a pull on the trigger 2. : a state of inadequate preparation or mental confusion used with at the whole project went … Useful english dictionary
half cock — noun Date: 1745 1. the position of the hammer of a firearm when about half retracted and held by the sear so that it cannot be operated by a pull on the trigger 2. chiefly British a state of inadequate preparation or mental confusion < go off at… … New Collegiate Dictionary
half cock — see go off at half cock half 1 (11) … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
half-cock — UK / US noun go off at half cock … English dictionary
go off at half-cock — British informal to start doing something without being properly prepared, so that the results are not successful … English dictionary
half cocked — also .half cock BrE [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: cock to get a gun ready to fire ] go off half cocked go off at half cock BrE to do something without enough thought or preparation, so that it is not successful … Dictionary of contemporary English
