backfiring

noun

1. (countable, uncountable)The occurrence of a backfire.

   “Backfiring in mercury arc rectifiers has now been pinpointed as the primary cause of the Glasgow transformer failures. […] The chief causes of rectifier backfiring in the Glasgow units were overheating or unfavourable anode/cathode temperature differential; it has proved possible to overcome these, although occasional backfires do still occur.”

2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable)A failure that leads to further misfortune.

verb

1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present)present participle and gerund of backfire