Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense backfires, present participle backfiring, past tense, past participle backfired
1. verb
If a plan or project backfires, it has the opposite result to the one that was intended.
The President's tactics could backfire. [VERB]
It all backfired on me! [V + on/against]
Synonyms: fail, founder, flop [informal], rebound More Synonyms of backfire
2. verb
When a motor vehicle or its engine backfires, it produces an explosion in the exhaust pipe.
The car backfired. [VERB]
Synonyms: misfire More Synonyms of backfire
backfire in British English
(ˌbækˈfaɪə)
verb(intransitive)
1.
(of an internal-combustion engine) to emit a loud noise as a result of an explosion in the inlet manifold or exhaust system
2.
(of an endeavour, plan, etc) to have an unwanted effect on its perpetrator
his plans backfired on him
3.
to start a controlled fire in order to halt an advancing forest or prairie fire by creating a barren area
noun
4. (in an internal-combustion engine)
a.
an explosion of unburnt gases in the exhaust system
b.
a premature explosion in a cylinder or inlet manifold
5.
a controlled fire started to create a barren area that will halt an advancing forest or prairie fire
backfire in American English
(ˈbækˌfaɪr)
noun
1. US
a fire started to stop an advancing prairie fire or forest fire by creating a burned area in its path
2.
a premature ignition of fuel or an explosion of unburned exhaust gases in an internal-combustion engine, sometimes preventing the completion of the compression stroke and reversing the direction of the piston
3.
an explosive force toward the breech, rather than through the muzzle, of a firearm
verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈbackˌfired or ˈbackˌfiring
4. US
to use or set a backfire
5.
to explode as a backfire
6.
to have an unexpected and unwelcome result; go awry; boomerang
his plan backfired
backfire in Automotive Engineering
(bækfaɪər)
Word forms: (present) backfires, (past) backfired, (perfect) backfired, (progressive) backfiring
verb
(Automotive engineering: Vehicle components, Engine, transmission, and exhaust)
When a vehicle or its engine backfires, it produces an explosion in the exhaust pipe.
The vehicle tends to backfire when slowing down, making a sound like a gunshot.
The research aims to reduce the tendency for the engine to backfire, which is a challenge in conventional engines.
He started the engine and the car backfired.
Examples of 'backfire' in a sentence
backfire
But the plan backfired and he was promptly sent the wrong way.
The Sun (2016)
The plan may have backfired.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Project Fear may have backfired on polling day, but it has been helpful in one respect.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The gamble backfired and a subsequent stop dropped him down to 15th place - but incredibly he battled back to take third.
The Sun (2016)
He decided on a plan of action but it backfired horribly.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But the gamble backfired and he now knows his job is on the line.
The Sun (2011)
In the end this was a case modern information warfare that backfired spectacularly.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Attempts to make the tax code more consistent can backfire horribly.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But one little lie to secure an elusive table backfires spectacularly.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Yet the gambit may have backfired.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
That was a plan totally backfired.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
True, forcing people into unsuitable jobs may sometimes backfire.
The Sun (2010)
Now he cannot bear to be in a crowd and will jump with fear if a car backfires or a firework goes off.
The Sun (2011)
It's a gamble that can backfire badly.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Keeping your eyes open for hazards may backfire, too.
The Sun (2008)
That could have backfired horribly had we not won the Ashes so convincingly.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It backfired horribly at the team's official presentation.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
If this was his way of seeking attention, it has already backfired spectacularly.
The Sun (2012)
It backfired horribly, which is why so many of the payroll vote were willing to sign.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Last night his gamble backfired as he was effectively left without a party in the Commons to lead.
The Sun (2006)
Yet her diary may backfire.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
These changes may backfire, though.
Miller, Roger LeRoy & Fishe, Raymond P. H. Microeconomics: Price Theory in Practice (1995)
In other languages
backfire
British English: backfire /ˌbækˈfaɪə/ VERB
If a plan backfires, it has the opposite result to the one that was intended.
This plan could backfire.
American English: backfire
Arabic: يُخَّلِفُ نَتَائِج عَكْسِيَّة
Brazilian Portuguese: obter um resultado oposto ao que se esperava
Chinese: 事与愿违
Croatian: izjaloviti se
Czech: mít opačný účinek
Danish: give bagslag
Dutch: mislopen
European Spanish: fallar
Finnish: epäonnistua
French: mal tourner
German: fehlschlagen
Greek: αποτυγχάνω
Italian: ritorcersi contro
Japanese: 裏目に出る
Korean: 기대에 어긋난 결과가 되다
Norwegian: slå tilbake (på)
Polish: przynieść odwrotny skutek
European Portuguese: obter um resultado oposto ao que se esperava
Romanian: a eșua
Russian: неожиданно привести к обратным результатам
Latin American Spanish: fallar fracasar
Swedish: slå slint
Thai: ให้ผลตรงข้ามกับที่ตั้งใจไว้
Turkish: geri tepmek
Ukrainian: давати протилежний результат
Vietnamese: phản tác dụng
Chinese translation of 'backfire'
backfire
(bækˈfaɪəʳ)
vi
[plan]事与(與)愿(願)违(違) (shì yǔ yuàn wéi)
[car, engine]回火 (huíhuǒ)
1 (verb)
Definition
(of a plan or scheme) to fail to have the desired effect
The President's tactics could backfire.
Synonyms
fail
He was afraid the revolution they had started would fail.
founder
The talks have foundered.
flop (informal)
The film flopped badly at the box office.
rebound
Mia realised her trick had rebounded on her.
fall through
The deal fell through.
fall flat
boomerang
The trick boomeranged, though.
miscarry
My career miscarried when I thought I had everything.
misfire
Some of their policies had misfired.
go belly-up (slang)
turn out badly
meet with disaster
2 (verb)
Definition
(of an internal-combustion engine) to make a loud noise as a result of an explosion of unburnt gases in the exhaust system
The car backfired.
Synonyms
misfire
Additional synonyms
in the sense of boomerang
Definition
(of a plan) to recoil unexpectedly, harming its originator