go off half-cocked
Rush in unprepared
To go off half-cocked is to act prematurely or without adequate preparation.
The phrase comes from firearms—a gun at half-cock shouldn't fire, but if it does, the shot is unintended and ill-timed.
Don't go off half-cocked before you have all the facts.
The expression often implies rashness driven by emotion rather than careful thought.
- knee-jerkInstinctive and unconsidered
- shoot from the hipAct or speak impulsively
- quick on the drawFast to act
- prematureOccurring before expected
- reactAnswer a stimulus
unprepared · jump the gun · impulsive · snap decision · reckless · flash in the pan · rash · trigger-happy · ill-equipped · hair-trigger · ready aim fire · impetuous · hasty · precipitate · rush to judgment · imprudent · fly off the handle · blow your top
- impulsive actionsspur of the moment, on a whim, snap decision, knee-jerk reaction, rush in
go off half-cockeddeliberate
Consciously chosen, not accidental
prepare · plan ahead · bide one's time · sleep on it · take one's time
go off half-cockedkeep one's powder dry
Preserve resources until needed
keep one's cool · hold one's fire · hold one's horses · count to ten · take a deep breath
half, halve, halves, halved, cock, cocks, cocked, cocking, cocky