miss fire

Verb

misfire (third-person singular simple present misfires, present participle misfiring, simple past and past participle misfired)

1. To fail to discharge properly.
2. To fail to ignite in the proper sequence.
3. To initiate an action potential without the proper stimulus.
4. (broadly) To fail to achieve the anticipated result.
   • His practical joke misfired and he nearly burnt my left hand.

See all 6 meanings of misfire