BACKFIRE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does backfire mean? 

• BACKFIRE (noun)
  The noun BACKFIRE has 4 senses:

1. the backward escape of gases and unburned gunpowder after a gun is fired

2. a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine

3. a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path

4. a miscalculation that recoils on its maker

  Familiarity information: BACKFIRE used as a noun is uncommon.

• BACKFIRE (verb)
  The verb BACKFIRE has 3 senses:

1. come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect

2. emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire

3. set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire

  Familiarity information: BACKFIRE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BACKFIRE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The backward escape of gases and unburned gunpowder after a gun is fired

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

backfire; blowback

Hypernyms ("backfire" is a kind of...):

blowup; detonation; explosion (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "backfire"):

back-blast; backblast (backfire from a recoilless weapon)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("backfire" is a kind of...):

blowup; detonation; explosion (a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction)

Derivation:

backfire (emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("backfire" is a kind of...):

fire (the event of something burning (often destructive))

Sense 4

Meaning:

A miscalculation that recoils on its maker

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

backfire; boomerang

Hypernyms ("backfire" is a kind of...):

miscalculation; misestimation; misreckoning (a mistake in calculating)

Derivation:

backfire (come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect)

• BACKFIRE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they backfire    ... he / she / it backfires   
Past simple: backfired   
Past participle: backfired   
-ing form: backfiring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

backfire; backlash; recoil

Context example:

the political movie backlashed on the Democrats

Hypernyms (to "backfire" is one way to...):

come about; fall out; go on; hap; happen; occur; pass; pass off; take place (come to pass)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

backfire (a miscalculation that recoils on its maker)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

My old car backfires all the time

Hypernyms (to "backfire" is one way to...):

make noise; noise; resound (emit a noise)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

The cars backfire down the avenue

Derivation:

backfire (a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "backfire" is one way to...):

burn; burn down; fire (destroy by fire)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

 Context examples 

They found that when used against a single competitor, provocation backfires: the provoked strain mounts a strong toxic counterattack and harms the provoking strain.

(Bacteria Can 'Divide and Conquer' to Vanquish Their Enemies, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

But this could also backfire in a "runaway greenhouse" process, in which the atmosphere becomes so thick the planet surface overheats – as on Venus.

(TRAPPIST-1 is Older Than Our Solar System, NASA/JPL)

Now with food so abundant, this energy-saving mechanism can backfire and lead to unhealthy outcomes.

(Some gut cells slow down metabolism, accelerate cardiovascular disease, National Institutes of Health)

If you border on becoming strident, your efforts may backfire.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)