verb
misfire
MIHS-feye
Misfire (verb) means to fail to fire or ignite properly, as with a gun or an engine. Example: “The old rifle misfired twice before finally going off.”
verb
1
To fail to fire or ignite properly, as with a gun or an engine.
"The old rifle misfired twice before finally going off."
2
To fail to have the intended effect, especially of a joke, plan, or attempt.
"His attempt at humour misfired badly in front of the board."
noun
1
An instance of failing to fire, ignite, or achieve the intended result.
"The engine's misfire was traced to a faulty spark plug."
How to use misfire
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo fail to go off properly, or to fail to work as intended.
Common pairings
the engine misfired
the joke misfired
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Word forms
- Plural
- misfires
- Third person singular
- misfires
- Past tense
- misfired
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old rifle _____ twice before finally going off.
Etymology
Either a fusion of the older phrase "miss fire" or a direct combination of mis- + fire.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for misfire
See all rhymes for misfire →Frequently asked questions
What does “misfire” mean?
The word “misfire” means to fail to fire or ignite properly, as with a gun or an engine. In plain terms, to fail to go off properly, or to fail to work as intended.
How do you pronounce “misfire”?
“Misfire” is pronounced MIHS-feye (/ˈmɪs.faɪ.ɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “misfire” in a sentence?
Here is “misfire” used in a sentence: “The old rifle misfired twice before finally going off.”
What part of speech is “misfire”?
Depending on how it is used, “misfire” can be a verb and a noun.
How many meanings does “misfire” have?
“Misfire” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to fail to fire or ignite properly, as with a gun or an engine.
