backfire

n.

1. An explosion of prematurely ignited fuel or of unburned exhaust gases in an internal-combustion engine.
2. The backward escape of gases or cartridge fragments when a gun is fired.
3. A fire started in the path of an oncoming fire in order to deprive it of fuel and thereby control or extinguish it.

intr.v., -fired, -fir·ing, -fires.

1. To explode in the manner of or make the sound of a backfire.
2. To start or use a backfire in extinguishing or controlling a forest fire.
3. To produce an unexpected, undesired result.

verb

To produce an unexpected and undesired result: boomerang. See surprise/expect.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine

Meaning #2: a miscalculation that recoils on its maker
  Synonym: boomerang

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The verb backfire has 3 meanings:

Meaning #1: have an unexpected and undesired effect
  Synonym: backlash

Meaning #2: emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire, as of cars

Meaning #3: set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire

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Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - knalde, give bagslag, sætte ud
n. - tilbageslag, kontraild, modild

Nederlands (Dutch)
terugslag, averechts effect hebben

Français (French)
v. intr. - s'allumer prématurément, avoir des retours (au carburateur), pétarader, (fig) retomber sur le dos, (US) allumer un contre-feu
n. - allumage prématuré, retour de flamme, pétarade, (US) contre-feu

Deutsch (German)
v. - fehlschlagen, fehlzünden
n. - Fehlzündung

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - παρανάφλεξη (κινητήρα εσωτερικής καύσεως), (μτφ.) φιάσκο
v. - (για εξάτμιση) εκπυρσοκροτώ, παραναφλέγομαι, (μτφ.) πάω στραβά, γίνομαι μπούμερανγκ

Italiano (Italian)
ritorno di fiamma

Português (Portuguese)
n. - explosão (f) no cano de descarga (Aut.), resultado (m) oposto do esperado
v. - engasgar, sair pela culatra, acender fogo de encontro (EUA)

Русский (Russian)
обратный эффект, производить обратный эффект

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - encenderse prematuramente, petardear
n. - petardeo, explosión, contrafuego

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - baktändning
v. - slå tillbaka

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
放出逆火, 事与愿违, 失败, 逆火, 放火, 回火

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 放出逆火, 事與願違, 失敗
n. - 逆火, 放火, 回火

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 역화하다
n. - 맞불, 역발, 역화

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 逆火, 迎え火
v. - 逆火を起こす, 迎え火を放つ, 裏目に出る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) عكس النتيجه المطلوبه (فعل) صوت عالي من محرك السيارة, يفشل في تحقيق خطه, يشعل نارا متقصدا لغرض ايقاف انتشار حريق في غابه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮התפוצץ לפני זמנו, הביא תוצאה לא רצויה, פעל כבומרנג, הביא לתוצאה הפוכה מהצפוי‬
n. - ‮התפוצצות לפני זמנה, התפוצצות מפתיעה במנוע מכונית‬

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