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Meaning of "go off at half-cock" in the English dictionary

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PRONUNCIATION OF GO OFF AT HALF-COCK

go off at half-cock play
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WHAT DOES GO OFF AT HALF-COCK MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Definition of go off at half-cock in the English dictionary

The definition of go off at half-cock in the dictionary is to fail as a result of inadequate preparation or premature starting. Other definition of go off at half-cock is to act or function prematurely.


WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE GO OFF AT HALF-COCK

go it
go it alone
go like a dream
go like hot cakes
go like the clappers
go missing
go much on
go nap
go native
go off
go off the deep end
go on
go on record
go on the swag
go one better
go out
go out of one´s way
go over
go over with a fine-tooth comb
go overboard

WORDS THAT END LIKE GO OFF AT HALF-COCK

acock
Alcock
bibcock
billycock
blackcock
cock
fighting cock
gamecock
half-cock
Hancock
Hitchcock
John Hancock
Leacock
peacock
poppycock
re-cock
stopcock
storm-cock
weathercock
woodcock

Synonyms and antonyms of go off at half-cock in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

Translation of «go off at half-cock» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF GO OFF AT HALF-COCK

Find out the translation of go off at half-cock to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of go off at half-cock from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «go off at half-cock» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

在半公鸡熄灭
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

estallar en medio - cock
570 millions of speakers

English

go off at half-cock
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

आधा मुर्गा पर उतर जाना
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

تنفجر في نصف الديك
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

перейти в перерыве петух
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

sair a meio- pau
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

অর্ধ মোরগ এ যান
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

s´éteint à la mi- coq
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Pergi pada separuh ayam
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

gehen in der Halbhahn
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

ハーフコックでオフに行く
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

반 거시기 에 꺼
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Pindhah menyang setengah jago
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

đi ra ở nửa dương vật
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

அரைக் குலுக்கல்
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

अर्ध्या-कोंबडावर जा
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

Yarım horozdan çık
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

andare fuori a metà -cock
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

zgaśnie na pół kogut
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

перейти в перерві півень
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

du-te pe la jumătate de cocoș
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

πάει μακριά σε ημιόπλισης
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

gaan af by half- haan
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

gå av vid halv kuk
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

gå av på halv - kuk
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of go off at half-cock

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «GO OFF AT HALF-COCK»

The term «go off at half-cock» is regularly used and occupies the 81.391 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Regularly used
62
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «go off at half-cock» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of go off at half-cock
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «go off at half-cock».

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about go off at half-cock

EXAMPLES

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «GO OFF AT HALF-COCK»

Discover the use of go off at half-cock in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to go off at half-cock and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
English-Albanian Dictionary of Idioms
... a tangent and started talking about the revival of wine-making in England. go off at half-cock/go off half-cocked flas (veproj) para kohe; filloj para kohe □ Mr. Jones was thinking about quitting his job, but his wife told him not to go at half- cock.
Ilo Stefanllari, 2000
2
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
This term is usually considered offensive. • half-caste adjective half-cock /,ha:fkDk / © /.haefkrxk/ adjective old-fashioned uk go off" at half-cock/ us go off half-cocked to start before arrangements are complete, and failing as a result half-cut / ...
‎2008
3
Rajpal Dictionary Of English Idioms & Phrases
... a score in the 100-metre sprint Go off at a tangent: Change direction or follow another line of thought * While dwelling on the subject of poverty, he all at once went off at a tangent to speak highly of rich persons Go off at half-cock: Have a bad ...
Shori, A K, 2010
4
A Dictionary of Anglo-American Proverbs & Proverbial ...
To go off half-cocked (APP 168; EAP 193; MP 281) 1943 "But don't let's go off at half cock." (p. 124) Charteris, Leslie. The Saint on Guard. 1943. Garden City, N. Y.: Doubleday, Doran and Company, 1944. 1949 "You'll half learn something, and ...
George B. Bryan, Wolfgang Mieder, 2005
5
Idioms and Phrases
Go off at half cock Act too soon and fail The batsman went off at half cock and he got out. Go off the beaten tract Do something unusual He believed in producing films which go off the beaten track. Go off the deep and Express strong feeling ...
Prof. V.N. Sadasiva Rau, Sura College of Competition, 2004
6
Cassell英语常用词组用法词典
AfPi — half-cock to go off at half-cock/ half-cocked ft{E?T ♢ ; frmi-f1 (They went off at half-cock and disclosed the secrets. iM^iS.^ <t $St»7«& » ) [tfL/i/iJJr^tftti^'t1 half -hour on the half-hour ¥'b&f i ¥ttll half mast at half mast 1. (□ ; #fflft«§tf£l (#7) ...
Rosalind Fergusson, 2003
7
The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional ...
14th August 2000 ▻ go off at half-cock generally, to start without being ready; in sex, to ejaculate prematurely or without being fully erect uk, 1904 A variation of half-cocked. half-COCk adjective ill-considered; inferior uk • [T)he half-cock ...
Eric Partridge, Tom Dalzell, Terry Victor, 2006
8
Untitled
This term is usually considered offensive. . half-caste adjective half-cock /%hA;f" kQk/ /%h&f"kA;k/ adjective old-fashioned uk go off at half-cock/ us go off half- cocked to startbefore arrangements are complete, and failingas a result half-cut / %hA ...
9
Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms
... half cock is used of a firearm with the cock lifted but not moved to the position at which the trigger will act. It is usually found in go off at half cock or go off half- cocked meaning 'go ahead without making proper preparation and therefore fail'.
John Ayto, 2010
10
Reports of Cases Before the High Court and Circuit Courts of ...
It was not a lock to go off at half cock. Alexander Gray, M. D. residing in Carnwath proved the medical report libelled on, which stated, that in company with two other medical gentlemen he had examined the body of the deceased William ...
Archibald Campbell Swinton, 1838

2 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «GO OFF AT HALF-COCK»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term go off at half-cock is used in the context of the following news items.
1
'Definitely Going to Blow'
"Operation Forto" appeared to go off at half-cock, before the ringleaders had won the unequivocal backing of key generals. The officers may ... «Foreign Policy, Feb 14»
2
Parsifal, Royal Opera House, London
Some of Langridge's ideas go off at half-cock. The cube houses a sequence of friezes that pictorialise salient points in the narrative – a ... «Financial Times, Dec 13»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Go off at half-cock [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/go-off-at-half-cock>. Apr 2024 ».
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