misfire
verb (used without object)
(of a rifle or gun or of a bullet or shell) to fail to fire or explode.
was misfiring
-
past progressiveof misfire.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Cleveland was misfiring, the Knicks built on their advantage.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 29, 2021
Luck’s only lament was misfiring the pass, but he loved the bold call.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 2, 2018
The scientist in the study concluded that either Honnold’s amygdala was misfiring, or “his frontal cortex is just so powerful that it can calm him down.”
From The Guardian ● Sep. 10, 2017
Murray's serve, meanwhile, was misfiring and, under darkening skies and roared on by a partisan crowd, he had to dig deep to stay on terms with the Australian.
From Reuters ● Jul. 4, 2016
Maybe between the heat and the stress her brain was misfiring entirely.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
