Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To fail to ignite when expected. Used of an internal-combustion engine.
- intransitive verb To fail to discharge. Used of a firearm.
- intransitive verb To fail to achieve an anticipated result.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A failure in firing, as of a gun or cannon.
- To miss fire: said of a firearm.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun An act of misfiring.
- verb of a firearm To fail to
discharge properly - verb of an engine To fail to
ignite in the proper sequence - verb of a plan To fail to achieve the anticipated
result
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb fail to fire or detonate
- noun an explosion that fails to occur
- noun a failure to hit (or meet or find etc)
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Had our intelligence people arrested this Pig prior to entering the aircraft, that would constitute a thwarted attempt, a misfire is a failed attempt that surpassed all safety and screening barriers.
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The only real misfire is the title track, in which Swift interrupts a wedding with a protestation of love for the groom ( "I am not the kind of girl who should be rudely barging in on a white veil occasion," she informs the gathering, somewhat awkwardly).
Album review: Taylor Swift, "Speak Now" Allison Stewart 2010
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Whatever misfire is floating around in my brain, we do overcome it.
Word Blind 2006
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Whatever misfire is floating around in my brain, we do overcome it.
July 2006 2006
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I’d add a potential misfire is that as others have noted, this bill should have been passed much much earlier.
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(Another misfire is when Darth learns of a tragedy and holds his arms out and yells “Noooooooo!!!” — and it sounds and looks so much like a parody, that it’s hard not to burst out laughing.)
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After this dull, airless misfire, which is a failure on almost every level, it's no wonder that Craven again journeyed back into the Weinstein pit see or don't: Cursed for Scream 4.
Scott Mendelson: 2010 in Review: The 'Worst' Films of the Year Scott Mendelson 2011
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After this dull, airless misfire, which is a failure on almost every level, it's no wonder that Craven again journeyed back into the Weinstein pit see or don't: Cursed for Scream 4.
Scott Mendelson: 2010 in Review: The 'Worst' Films of the Year Scott Mendelson 2011
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After this dull, airless misfire, which is a failure on almost every level, it's no wonder that Craven again journeyed back into the Weinstein pit see or don't: Cursed for Scream 4.
Scott Mendelson: 2010 in Review: The 'Worst' Films of the Year Scott Mendelson 2011
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Working on or near a misfire is the most hazardous of all blasting operations.
Army Field Manual: Explosives and Demolutions Extract by the Death Jester 1971
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