miss fire

Fail to achieve the anticipated result, as in Recycling cardboard seemed like a good idea but it missed fire. First recorded in 1727, this phrase originally described a firearm failing to go off and has been used figuratively since the mid-1800s.

miss fire

1. To fail to discharge. Used of a firearm.

2. To fail to achieve the anticipated result.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Hubbard	['hʌbəd]
Liisa	LEE:-sah (Finnish)	Finnish, Estonian
Caerwyn	-	Welsh
ToÑO	-	Spanish
Clare	KLER, KLAR	English
Eduardo	e-DHWAHR-do (Spanish)	Spanish, Portuguese