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half cock
1[haf kok]
noun
the position of the hammer of a firearm when held halfway to the fully retracted position by a mechanism that prevents it from being released and firing the gun when the trigger is pulled.
half-cock
2[haf-kok, hahf-]
verb (used with object)
to set the hammer of (a firearm) at half cock.
half-cock
noun
on a single-action firearm, a halfway position in which the hammer can be set for safety; in this position the trigger is cocked by the hammer which cannot reach the primer to fire the weapon
to fail as a result of inadequate preparation or premature starting
to act or function prematurely
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Word History and Origins
Origin of half-cock1
First recorded in 1695–1705
Origin of half-cock2
First recorded in 1825–35
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