backfire
verb /ˌbækˈfaɪə(r)/
/ˌbækˈfaɪər/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they backfire | /ˌbækˈfaɪə(r)/ /ˌbækˈfaɪər/ |
| he / she / it backfires | /ˌbækˈfaɪəz/ /ˌbækˈfaɪərz/ |
| past simple backfired | /ˌbækˈfaɪəd/ /ˌbækˈfaɪərd/ |
| past participle backfired | /ˌbækˈfaɪəd/ /ˌbækˈfaɪərd/ |
| -ing form backfiring | /ˌbækˈfaɪərɪŋ/ /ˌbækˈfaɪərɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to have the opposite effect to the one intended, with bad or dangerous results
- Unfortunately the plan backfired.
- He had to be rescued from the water when the stunt backfired disastrously.
- backfire on somebody The surprise I had planned backfired on me.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- badly
- spectacularly
- totally
- …
- on
- [intransitive] (of an engine or a vehicle) to make a sudden noise like an explosionTopics Transport by car or lorryc2 compare misfire