Back·fire Back-fire, v. i.
1. Engin. To have or experience a back fire or back fires; -- said of an internal-combustion engine.
2. Of a Bunsen or similar air-fed burner, to light so that the flame proceeds from the internal gas jet instead of from the external jet of mixed gas and air. -- Back-fir*ing, n.
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backfire
n 1: a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold
or exhaust of an internal combustion engine
2: a miscalculation that recoils on its maker [syn: boomerang]
v 1: have an unexpected and undesired effect; "Your comments may
backfire and cause you a lot of trouble" [syn: backlash]
2: emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire; "My
old car backfires all the time"
3: set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie
fire