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
Vernon	['və:nən]
Henderson	HEN-dər-sən	English
Pavle	-	Serbian, Macedonian, Croatian, Georgian
Ileana	[ai'li:nə]
Costin	-	Romanian
Cherokee	CHER-ə-kee	English (Rare)