half-cocked
Definition
- Adjective:
- Ill-prepared or premature: "half-cocked" describes something that is not fully prepared or has been undertaken without sufficient thought or planning. This term originates from firearms, where a gun set at "half-cock" is not ready to fire.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- His half-cocked plan to start a business without any capital failed immediately. (His plan was ill-prepared and premature.)
- She made a half-cocked decision to quit her job without having another one lined up. (Her decision was hasty and unconsidered.)
Advanced Usage
"to go off half-cocked": to act or speak impulsively without adequate preparation or forethought.
- He went off half-cocked during the meeting and offended several colleagues. (He spoke impulsively and without caution.)
"half-cocked idea": an idea that is not fully developed or thought through.
- The committee rejected the half-cocked proposal because it lacked details. (The proposal was rejected for being incomplete.)
Variants and Related Words
Half-cock (noun): the position of a firearm's hammer when it is partially raised and not ready to fire.
- The safety mechanism keeps the gun at half-cock. (The gun is in a partially raised, non-firing position.)
Half-cockedness (noun, rare): the state of being ill-prepared or premature.
- His half-cockedness in tackling the project led to many errors. (His lack of preparation caused mistakes.)
Synonyms
- Premature: occurring or done before the proper time.
- Rash: acting without careful consideration of consequences.
- Ill-considered: not thought out carefully.
Related Idioms
Go off half-cocked: to act or speak impulsively without adequate preparation (as noted above).
- Don't go off half-cocked; think before you speak. (Do not act impulsively.)
Half-baked: not fully thought through or planned; similar in meaning to "half-cocked."
- That's a half-baked scheme that will never work. (That is an incomplete or foolish plan.)