- 1
A premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in the wrong direction.
- 2
An explosion in the exhaust passages of an internal combustion engine.
- As much of Seattle tries to sleep, the Hellcat supercar goes on the prowl, the howls of its engine and the explosive backfires from its tailpipes echoing off the high-rise towers downtown.
- 3
An explosion in other equipment.
- The chief causes of rectifier backfiring in the Glasgow units were overheating or unfavourable anode/cathode temperature differential; it has proved possible to overcome these, although occasional backfires do still occur.
- 4
Alternative form of back fire.alt-ofalternative
- A firefighter monitors a backfire while battling the Carr Fire on July 27. […] A firefighter lights backfires in Redding on July 27.
backfire
.bæk'faiә9 senses · 979 ms
Level C1
- 1
Of a gun, cannon, Bunsen burner, etc., to fire in the opposite direction, for example due to an obstruction in the barrel.intransitive
- 2
Of a reciprocating engine, to experience a premature ignition of fuel or an ignition of exhaust gases, making a popping sound.intransitive
- It was just after the Biafran war, and all the local people were still jumpy. Any time a car backfired or a police siren howled, they would dive under desks or tables instinctively.
- 3
To fail in a manner that brings down further misfortune.idiomatictransitive
- His attempt to make money by importing luxury cars backfired horribly when fuel prices tripled.
- Her plan backfired on her.
- 4
To set a back fire (small, controlled fire to limit spread of a larger fire).