Backfiring

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The occurrence of an unintended negative reaction or effect stemming from an action or decision causes an unexpected failure or drawback in a process or device
2. An event in which a planned strategy or action leads to a counterproductive result, often manifesting as a malfunction or operational failure
3. A result where an effort produces unwanted and harmful effects ; a problem in an engine causing explosions in the intake or exhaust system

Etymology: "Backfire" began as a literal description of a gun. The "back" is the rearward direction, and "fire" is the discharge of a weapon, so to backfire was to have a charge explode in the wrong place, sending flame or force back toward the person holding it. That physical sense is the root of the modern figurative meaning: an action meant to produce one result instead produces a harmful effect that returns on its maker. "Backfiring" is simply the present participle of "backfire," which takes its literal sense of an unintended blast and applies it to plans, policies and machines. An engine that misfires with an explosion through the intake is still said to backfire, which shows how closely the mechanical and figurative senses remain linked.

Synonyms: exploding, rebounding, recoiling, retaliating, blowing up