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go off half-cocked

To take a premature or ill-considered action.

Etymology:

  • From the days of flintlock and caplock firearms, where the half-cock position of the hammer was both a rudimentary safety, and the proper position for priming the pan or inserting a percussion cap. The phrase was originally rendered, "to go off at half-cock."
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Make sure none of your men go off half-cocked and ruin this operation.

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Submitted on September 01, 2009

Additional definitions for 'go off half-cocked':

go off half-cocked: To take a premature or ill-considered action.
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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to go off half-cocked

gloves are offGive Someone the Shirt off Your Backhalf a loaf is better than no loafgrab offgo off the boilhalf a mindgo off the boilhack offgo off the boilhalf a loaf is better than no breadgo offgo offglass-half-fullgo off

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    "go off half-cocked." Phrases.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 22 Dec. 2024. <https://www.phrases.com/phrase/go-off-half-cocked_4070>.

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