| 1. | Insurance. a fire deliberately set and remaining contained, as in a fireplace or boiler, from which any resulting loss cannot be claimed as an insurance liability (opposed to hostile fire ). |
| 2. | (in military combat) fire, as by artillery, by one's own forces, esp. when causing damage near or casualties to one's own troops. |
| friendly fire n. Discharge of a military weapon that injures or kills a member of one's own armed forces or an ally. |