backfire | Idiomator

Meaning: (of a gun, cannon, Bunsen burner, etc.,intransitive)Tofirein theoppositedirection, for example due to anobstructionin thebarrel.; (of a reciprocating engine,intransitive)Toexperienceaprematureignitionoffuelor anignitionofexhaustgases, making apoppingsound.1991February 4, Ayofemi Folayan, “No Sounds Of Silence”, inGay Community News, volume18, number28, page 7:It was just after the Biafran war, and all the local people were still jumpy. Any time a carbackfiredor a police siren howled, they would dive under desks or tables instinctively.; (idiomatic,transitive)Tofailin amannerthatbrings downfurthermisfortune.His attempt to make money by importing luxury carsbackfiredhorribly when fuel prices tripled.Her planbackfiredon her.2023August 9, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Disinterested and dishonest”, inRAIL, number989, page 3:Obsessed only with cost, 'Sir Humphrey' saw that Transport for London 'got away' with ticket office closures on the Tube with only minor public pushback and miscalculated that it could do the same on the national network. This assumptionbackfiredspectacularly.; (firefighting)To set aback fire(small, controlled fire to limit spread of a larger fire).

Examples:

EN: He came along whistling and said it was a backfire.
ES: Llegó silbando y dijo que había algún tubo de escape...
EN: Well, I heard something, like backfire from an automobile.
ES: Bueno, algo oí, como el petardeo de un coche.
EN: And the carburator backfire or explosive.
ES: Y el del carburador obstruido o explosivo.
EN: Boy, what wouldn't I give for a good dose of hay fever or even to get a sniff at the backfire of an old flivver.
ES: Cielos, lo que daría por estornudar un poco con el polen... o por sentir el olor a gasolina quemada de un auto.
EN: It must've been a backfire in the alley or something.
ES: Debe haber pasado algo en el callejón.
EN: If these kids are in a jam, I don't want anything done from this end that'll backfire on them.
ES: Si estos chicos están en un aprieto, no quiero que se haga nada que les pueda perjudicar.
EN: Maybe we can start a backfire.
ES: Quizá podamos iniciar un contrafuego.
EN: In fact, I'm not even much of a success around here, particularly after the backfire on Jerry's little publicity stunt with the leopard.
ES: De hecho, no he tenido mucho éxito por aquí. Sobre todo después de lo del leopardo.
EN: It might have been backfire.
ES: Pudo haber sido un petardo.
EN: - I thought it was a car backfire.
ES: A mí me ha parecido una falsa explosión.
EN: He might not be so wrong. This system could backfire.
ES: Tal vez no esté tan equivocado, podríamos quebrar.
EN: A shot, not a backfire.
ES: Un tiro, no un petardo. Sí.
EN: I tell you, it was a backfire.
ES: Fue solo un tubo de escape.
EN: That's only the backfire of the car echoing'.
ES: Es sólo el petardeo del auto.
EN: It must have been some car backfire I guess.
ES: Debió ser un coche, el tubo de escape

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