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Backfire

//bækˈfaɪə(ɹ)// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in the wrong direction.
  2. 2
    a miscalculation that recoils on its maker wordnet
  3. 3
    An explosion in the exhaust passages of an internal combustion engine.

    "As much of Seattle tries to sleep, the Hellcat supercar goes on the prowl, the howls of its engine and the explosive backfires from its tailpipes echoing off the high-rise towers downtown."

  4. 4
    a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path wordnet
  5. 5
    An explosion in other equipment.

    "The chief causes of rectifier backfiring in the Glasgow units were overheating or unfavourable anode/cathode temperature differential; it has proved possible to overcome these, although occasional backfires do still occur."

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  1. 6
    a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine wordnet
  2. 7
    Alternative form of back fire. alt-of, alternative
  3. 8
    the backward escape of gases and unburned gunpowder after a gun is fired wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    Of a gun, cannon, Bunsen burner, etc., to fire in the opposite direction, for example due to an obstruction in the barrel. intransitive
  2. 2
    set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire wordnet
  3. 3
    Of a reciprocating engine, to experience a premature ignition of fuel or an ignition of exhaust gases, making a popping sound. intransitive

    "It was just after the Biafran war, and all the local people were still jumpy. Any time a car backfired or a police siren howled, they would dive under desks or tables instinctively."

  4. 4
    emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire wordnet
  5. 5
    To fail in a manner that brings down further misfortune. idiomatic, transitive

    "His attempt to make money by importing luxury cars backfired horribly when fuel prices tripled."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect wordnet
  2. 7
    To set a back fire (small, controlled fire to limit spread of a larger fire).

Etymology

Etymology 1

From back + fire.

Etymology 2

From back + fire.

See also for "backfire"

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