Go off half-cocked meaning
What does the saying 'Go off half-cocked' mean?
Idiom: Go off half-cocked
Meaning:
If you go off half-cocked, you take a rash action without being prepared for the consequences. It refers to an old fashioned single action revolver, which had a half-cock position in the action where it would supposedly not fire. If you made a mistake and it was at full cock, you would fire prematurely, possibly with devastating results.
Similar Idioms
- Half-baked
- Cheap at half the price
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- Knock into a cocked hat
- Too clever by half
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- Six of one and half-a-dozen of the other
- Half a loaf is better than no bread
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See also:
- View examples in Google: Go off half-cocked
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