Found 2 items, similar to backfire.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: backfire backfire n 1: a loud noise made by the explosion of fuel in the manifold or exhaust of an internal combustion engine 2: a miscalculation that recoils on its maker [syn: boomerang] v 1: have an unexpected and undesired effect; “Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble” [syn: backlash] 2: emit a loud noise as a result of undergoing a backfire; “My old car backfires all the time” 3: set a controlled fire to halt an advancing forest to prairie fire
English → English (gcide) Definition: backfire backfire \backfire\, back fire \back fire\ 1. A fire started ahead of a forest or prairie fire to burn only against the wind, so that when the two fires meet both must go out for lack of fuel. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] 2. (a) 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 a direction reverse to that in which it should travel; also called a knock or ping. (b) an explosion in the exhaust passages of an internal combustion engine. [Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC]