misfire
(of a rifle or gun or of a bullet or shell) to fail to fire or explode.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to fail to ignite properly or when expected.
to fail to achieve the desired result, effect, etc.: His criticisms completely misfired.
an act or instance of misfiring.
Origin of misfire
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
British Dictionary definitions for misfire
/ (ˌmɪsˈfaɪə) /
(of a firearm or its projectile) to fail to fire, explode, or ignite as or when expected
(of a motor engine or vehicle, etc) to fail to fire at the appropriate time, often causing a backfire
to fail to operate or occur as intended
the act or an instance of misfiring
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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