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)))))) (. .)))
Half cocked has not always meant out of control.
( ( Half cocked ) ( ( ( ( has not ) always ) ( ( meant out ) ( of control ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (NN Half) (NN cocked)) (VP (VBZ has) (RB not) (ADVP (RB always)) (VP (VBN meant) (PRT (RP out)) (PP (IN of) (NP (NN control))))) (. .)))