misfire
Use Misfire in a sentence
verb (used without object)
1.
(of a rifle or gun or of a bullet or shell) to fail to fire or explode.
2.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to fail to ignite properly or when expected.
3.
to fail to achieve the desired result, effect, etc.: His criticisms completely misfired.
noun
4.
an act or instance of misfiring.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To misfire
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Misfire
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is hornswoggle. Does it mean:
| to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax. |
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
misfire (ˌmɪsˈfaɪə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | (of a firearm or its projectile) to fail to fire, explode, or ignite as or when expected |
| 2. | (of a motor engine or vehicle, etc) to fail to fire at the appropriate time, often causing a backfire |
| 3. | to fail to operate or occur as intended |
| —n | |
| 4. | the act or an instance of misfiring |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
If one is killed by a bullet aimed or simply a misfire, dead is dead.
If the light is flashing on and off, this indicates engine misfire, a condition that can harm the engine.
Transmission codes also can indicate problems with engine misfire.
Must have thrown the button pushers off enough for them to make the rocket misfire and explode.
Nearby Words
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