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backfire

   Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Idioms, Wikipedia, Hutchinson 0.04 sec.
backfire
1. in an internal-combustion engine
a. an explosion of unburnt gases in the exhaust system
b. a premature explosion in a cylinder or inlet manifold
2. a controlled fire started to create a barren area that will halt an advancing forest or prairie fire


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But it's a safe bet that noting the recipient's intelligence will not backfire, since even the dolts among us will gratefully blush.
On page 29, Alison Dale explores why these admirable motives can backfire, adding more loneliness to the already lonely burden of MS.
Buddhist teachings predict that actions motivated by greed, hatred and delusion often backfire, creating more problems than they solve.
 
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