Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [bak-fahyuh r]
- /ˈbækˌfaɪər/
- /ˌbækˈfaɪər/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [bak-fahyuh r]
- /ˈbækˌfaɪər/
Definitions of backfire word
- verb backfire If a plan or project backfires, it has the opposite result to the one that was intended. 3
- verb backfire When a motor vehicle or its engine backfires, it produces an explosion in the exhaust pipe. 3
- verb backfire (of an internal-combustion engine) to emit a loud noise as a result of an explosion in the inlet manifold or exhaust system 3
- verb backfire (of an endeavour, plan, etc) to have an unwanted effect on its perpetrator 3
- verb backfire to start a controlled fire in order to halt an advancing forest or prairie fire by creating a barren area 3
- noun backfire an explosion of unburnt gases in the exhaust system 3
Information block about the term
Origin of backfire
First appearance:
before 1775 One of the 45% newest English words
An Americanism dating back to 1775-85; back2 + fire
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Backfire
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
backfire popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 73% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
backfire usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for backfire
verb backfire
- fail — to fall short of success or achievement in something expected, attempted, desired, or approved: The experiment failed because of poor planning.
- flop — to fall or plump down suddenly, especially with noise; drop or turn with a sudden bump or thud (sometimes followed by down): The puppy flopped down on the couch.
- rebound — to bound or spring back from force of impact.
- ricochet — the motion of an object or a projectile in rebounding or deflecting one or more times from the surface over which it is passing or against which it hits a glancing blow.
- recoil — to draw back; start or shrink back, as in alarm, horror, or disgust.
noun backfire
- ignition — the act or fact of igniting; state of being ignited.
- reaction — a reverse movement or tendency; an action in a reverse direction or manner.
- vibes — Informal. vibration (def 4).
- double-take — a rapid or surprised second look, either literal or figurative, at a person or situation whose significance had not been completely grasped at first: His friends did a double take when they saw how much weight he had lost.
- flare up — to burn with an unsteady, swaying flame, as a torch or candle in the wind.
Antonyms for backfire
verb backfire
- accomplish — If you accomplish something, you succeed in doing it.
- achieve — If you achieve a particular aim or effect, you succeed in doing it or causing it to happen, usually after a lot of effort.
- succeed — to happen or terminate according to desire; turn out successfully; have the desired result: Our efforts succeeded.
Top questions with backfire
- what causes backfire through intake?
- what cause backfire?
- what causes a car to backfire?
- why do cars backfire?
- what causes backfire?
- what makes a car backfire?
- what causes a backfire?
- why does a car backfire?
- how to make your car backfire?
- what is a backfire?
- what causes an engine to backfire?
- what does backfire mean?
- how to make a car backfire?
- what causes a car to backfire on acceleration?
- what is backfire?
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with b
- Words starting with ba
- Words starting with bac
- Words starting with back
- Words starting with backf
- Words starting with backfi
- Words starting with backfir
- Words starting with backfire