hangfire

American  

[hang-fahy^uhr] / ˈhæŋˌfaɪər /

noun

1. a delay in the detonation of gunpowder or other ammunition, caused by some defect in the fuze.

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Etymology

Origin of hangfire

First recorded in 1890–95; hang + fire

Example Sentences

According to Samantha Evans of Hangfire Southern Kitchen in Barry, South Wales, by far the best solution is to use one tool we always have close to hand: your thumb.

From The Guardian

They, too, were nervous about hangfire, the unstable snow left along the edges of an avalanche’s path that can release at any moment.

From New York Times

June Allyson and Robert Walker on a hangfire honeymoon.

From Time Magazine Archive