Thus, in modern parlance, when a person goes off half cocked (or at half cock ), he or she is not in control of the situation.
( Thus ( , ( ( in ( modern parlance ) ) ( , ( ( when ( ( a person ) ( goes ( ( off half ) ( cocked ( -LRB- ( ( or ( at ( half cock ) ) ) -RRB- ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ( , ( ( ( he or ) she ) ( ( ( is not ) ( in ( control ( of ( the situation ) ) ) ) ) . ) ) ) ) ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (ADVP (RB Thus)) (, ,) (PP (IN in) (NP (JJ modern) (NN parlance))) (, ,) (SBAR (WHADVP (WRB when)) (S (NP (DT a) (NN person)) (VP (VBZ goes) (ADJP (ADVP (IN off) (DT half)) (JJ cocked) (PRN (-LRB- -LRB-) (CC or) (FRAG (X (IN at)) (NP (DT half) (NN cock))) (-RRB- -RRB-)))))) (, ,) (NP (PRP he) (CC or) (PRP she)) (VP (VBZ is) (RB not) (PP (IN in) (NP (NP (NN control)) (PP (IN of) (NP (DT the) (NN situation)))))) (. .)))
A When someone is half cocked they are out of control.
( A ( ( When ( someone ( is ( half cocked ) ) ) ) ( they ( ( ( are out ) ( of control ) ) . ) ) ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NNP A)) (SBAR (WHADVP (WRB When)) (S (NP (NN someone)) (VP (VBZ is) (ADJP (RB half) (JJ cocked))))) (NP (PRP they)) (VP (VBP are) (PRT (RP out)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN control)))) (. .)))