misfire

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to fail to fire, ignite, or detonate properly

   The damp cartridge caused the rifle to misfire.

2. 2
   verb

   to fail to achieve the intended result or to have an unintended effect

   The attempt at humor may misfire if the audience misses the reference.

3. 3
   noun

   an instance of a weapon, engine, plan, or action failing in this way

   Engine diagnostics traced the misfire to a faulty spark plug.

Either a compound of mis- + fire or a solid form of the earlier phrase miss fire. Its figurative sense extends a failed discharge to any action that fails or produces the wrong effect.

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