What does it mean when something backfires on you?

What does it mean when something backfires on you?

backfire on someone [for something, such as a plot] to fail unexpectedly; to fail with an undesired result. Your plot backfired on you. I was afraid that my scheme would backfire on me.

Is backfire an idiom?

Meaning of Idiom ‘To Backfire (on someone)’ When something, such as a plot, plan, project, situation, or idea unexpectedly produces a bad result which harms the person carrying out the plot, plan, idea, etc. it is said to have backfired on that person; a failure which results in an undesired result. 1.

Where did the word backfire come from?

The term derives from parallel experiences with early unreliable firearms or ammunition in which the explosive force was directed out at the breech instead of the muzzle. That is the origin of the use of “backfire” to indicate producing an unintended, unexpected, and undesired result.

Is backfire informal?

1. fail, founder, flop (informal), rebound, fall through, fall flat, boomerang, miscarry, misfire, go belly-up (slang), turn out badly, meet with disaster The President’s tactics could backfire.

What is backfire in business?

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Motor vehicles, Colours & soundsback‧fire /ˌbækˈfaɪə $ ˈbækfaɪr/ ●○○ verb [intransitive] 1 if a plan or action backfires, it has the opposite effect to the one you intended The company’s new policy backfired when a number of employees threatened to quit.

Why does a car backfire?

An engine backfire occurs whenever the air-fuel mixture in your car combusts somewhere outside the engine’s cylinders. This can cause damage to your car’s exhaust or intake if left unchecked — and it also means that your car’s engine isn’t making as much power as it should, and is wasting lots of fuel.

What means overzealous?

Definition of overzealous : too zealous : having or showing too much zeal : excessively eager, enthusiastic, or fervent overzealous parents overzealous workers … another version of the overzealous monitoring that has produced kids who leave for college without ever having crossed the street by themselves.—

What is backfire in welding?

The momentary recession of the flame into the torch, potentially causng a flashback or sustained backfire. It is usually signaled by a popping sound, after which the flame may extinguish or reignite at the end of the tip.

How do you get backfire in rocket League?

Octane is unlocked immediately from the start of the game, but to unlock Backfire you’ll have to complete some new driver challenges. You’ll have to play a few online games and complete some training to complete the first level of challenges, then complete the Striker training to unlock Backfire.