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- Dictionarybackfire
verb
- 1. (of a vehicle or its engine) undergo a mistimed explosion in the cylinder or exhaust: "a car backfired in the road and shoppers ducked instinctively" Similar
- 2. (of a plan or action) have an opposite and undesirable effect to what was intended: "overzealous publicity backfired on her" Similar
noun
- 1. a mistimed explosion in the cylinder or exhaust of a vehicle or engine: "once the engine is running smoothly, a backfire can be dramatic"
- 2. a fire started deliberately to stop the progress of an approaching fire by creating a burned area in its path. North American
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BACKFIRE definition: 1. (of a plan) to have the opposite result from the one you intended: 2. (of an engine) to make a…. Learn more.
1. : a loud noise caused by the improperly timed explosion of fuel mixture in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine. 2. : a fire started to check an advancing fire by clearing an area. Synonyms. Verb. boomerang. See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus. Examples of backfire in a Sentence.
BACKFIRE meaning: 1. (of a plan) to have the opposite result from the one you intended: 2. (of an engine) to make a…. Learn more.
noun. in an internal-combustion engine. an explosion of unburnt gases in the exhaust system. a premature explosion in a cylinder or inlet manifold. a controlled fire started to create a barren area that will halt an advancing forest or prairie fire.
verb (intransitive) 1. (of an internal-combustion engine) to emit a loud noise as a result of an explosion in the inlet manifold or exhaust system. 2. (of an endeavour, plan, etc) to have an unwanted effect on its perpetrator. his plans backfired on him.
1. An explosion of prematurely ignited fuel or of unburned exhaust gases in an internal-combustion engine. 2. The backward escape of gases or cartridge fragments when a gun is fired. 3. A fire started in the path of an oncoming fire in order to deprive it of fuel and thereby control or extinguish it. intr.v. back·fired, back·fir·ing, back·fires. 1.
verb. /ˌbækˈfaɪə (r)/ /ˌbækˈfaɪər/ Verb Forms. [intransitive] to have the opposite effect to the one intended, with bad or dangerous results. Unfortunately the plan backfired. He had to be rescued from the water when the stunt backfired disastrously. backfire on somebody The surprise I had planned backfired on me. Topics Difficulty and failure c2.
