What is the meaning of go off at half-cock?

possible profanity

verb

  • Act prematurely or without reflection or too soon.
    • usage: "she wanted to quit her job but her mother told her not to go off half-cocked"
WordNet 3.0 © 2006 by Princeton University
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APAWordNet. (2010). go off at half-cock. Retrieved October 1, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/go_off_at_half-cock/definitions/1282498
ChicagoWordNet. 2010. "go off at half-cock" http://smartdefine.org/go_off_at_half-cock/definitions/1282498 (accessed October 1, 2026).
HarvardWordNet 2010, go off at half-cock, Smart Define, viewed 1 October, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/go_off_at_half-cock/definitions/1282498>.
MLAWordNet. "go off at half-cock" 23 October 2010. Web. 1 October 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/go_off_at_half-cock/definitions/1282498>