MISFIRE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does misfire mean? 

• MISFIRE (noun)
  The noun MISFIRE has 2 senses:

1. an explosion that fails to occur

2. a failure to hit (or meet or find etc)

  Familiarity information: MISFIRE used as a noun is rare.

• MISFIRE (verb)
  The verb MISFIRE has 1 sense:

1. fail to fire or detonate

  Familiarity information: MISFIRE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MISFIRE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An explosion that fails to occur

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

dud; misfire

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

breakdown; equipment failure (a cessation of normal operation)

Derivation:

misfire (fail to fire or detonate)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A failure to hit (or meet or find etc)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

misfire; miss

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

failure (an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose)

• MISFIRE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they misfire    ... he / she / it misfires   
Past simple: misfired   
Past participle: misfired   
-ing form: misfiring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fail to fire or detonate

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Context example:

The guns misfired

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

break; break down; conk out; die; fail; give out; give way; go; go bad (stop operating or functioning)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Derivation:

misfire (an explosion that fails to occur)