misfiring

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It's no coincidence that when Boston's middle drive was misfiring, the Bruins went through their worst stretch of 2008-09, going 1-4-2 over seven games.

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Definitions (8)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. intransitive verb To fail to ignite when expected. Used of an internal-combustion engine.
  2. intransitive verb To fail to discharge. Used of a firearm.
  3. intransitive verb To fail to achieve an anticipated result: a scheme that misfired.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (2)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples (48)

  • Hah! I may have a few synapses misfiring, but I'll be damned if I'm going to fry my whole brain. —  F ;SF; - vol 086 issue 02 - February 1994
  • Danny Cipriani today as his misfiring kicking was described as "a real issue" by his club coach, Shaun Edwards, following the fly-half's mixed display for Wasps against Harlequins over the weekend. —  The Guardian World News
  • It's no coincidence that when Boston's middle drive was misfiring, the Bruins went through their worst stretch of 2008-09, going 1-4-2 over seven games. —  Boston.com Most Popular
  • It safely cleared northern Japan where batteries of Patriot missile interceptors and nervous local authorities were on standby in case of a misfiring or falling missile fragments. —  Top Stories - Google News
  • It's the same thing in rocket science: "back off!" is what they shout when a missile is misfiring on the launchpad -- it's either going to fizzle out or explode. —  The daily irrelevant
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