1887. H. Smart, Saddle and Sabre, ch. xvii. ‘Black Bill,’ as he was called by his brother jockeys, was very often half-cocked when he got up to ride.... The man could ride as well half-drunk as sober. To go off at half-cock (or half-cocked), verb. phr. 1. (sporting).—To fail through hasty and ill considered endeavours; and 2. (venery) = to ejaculate before completing erection. 1848. Lowell, Biglow Papers [Wk. 1891], p. 231. Now don’t go off half-cock: folks never gains By usin’ pepper-sarse instid o’ brains. Half-cracked, adv. (common).—Lacking in intelligence. See Apartments and Tile Loose. 1887. W. P. Frith, Autobiog., i., 129. Who was what is vulgarly called half-cracked. Half-crown Word, subs. phr. (common).—1. A difficult or uncommon vocable; a jaw-breaker (q.v.) or crack-jaw. Also (tailors’) = a sleeveboard (q.v.). Half-crowner, subs. (booksellers’).—A publication costing 2s. 6d. Half-cut, adv. (common).—Half-drunk. For synonyms, see Drinks and Screwed. Half-fly Flat, subs. phr. (thieves’).—A thief’s jackal; a man (or woman) hired to do rough or dirty work. Half-grown Shad, subs. phr. (American).—A dolt. For synonyms, see Buffle and Cabbage-head. 1838. Neal, Charcoal Sketches. No more interlect than a half-grown shad. Half Laugh and Purser’s Grin, subs. phr. (nautical).—A sneer; a half-and-half meaning.—Clark Russell. Halflings, adj. (Scots’).—Betwixt and between. [Usually said of a boy or girl just leaving childhood.] 1818. Scott, Heart of Midlothian, xi. In my youth, nay, when I was a hafflins callant. Half-man, subs. (nautical).—A landsman rated as A.B. Half-marrow, subs. (old Scots’).—1. A faithless spouse; also a parcel husband or wife. 1600–61. Rutherford, Letters, i., 123. Plead with your harlot-mother, who hath been a treacherous half-marrow to her husband Jesus. 2. (nautical).—An incompetent seaman. Half-moon, subs. (old).—1. A wig; and (2) the female pudendum. For synonyms, see Periwinkle and Monosyllable. 1611. Lodowick Barry, Ram Alley (Dodsley, Old Plays, vii., 326, ed. 1875). Is not her half-moon mine? Half-mourning, subs. (common).—A black eye. Full-mourning = two black eyes or deep grief. Half-nab (or nap), adv. (old).—See quot. 1791. Bampfylde-Moore Carew, Life. Half-nab—at a venture, unsight unseen, hit or miss. Half-on, adj. (colloquial).—Half-drunk. Half-rocked, adv. (common).—Half-witted; silly. [From a West Country saying that all idiots are nursed bottom upwards.] See Apartments and Tile Loose. Half-saved, adv. (common).—Weak-minded; shallow-brained. See Apartments and Tile Loose. 1834. Southey, The Doctor, ch. x. William Dove’s was not a case of fatuity. Though all was not there, there was a great deal. He was what is called half-saved. 1874. M. Collins, Frances, ch. xlii. This groom was what they call in the west country half-saved.