I. -ˌfī(-ə)r noun
Date: 1839
1. : a fire started to check an advancing fire by clearing an area
2. : a loud noise caused by the improperly timed explosion of fuel mixture in the cylinder of an internal combustion engine
II. intransitive verb
Date: 1886
1. : to make or undergo a backfire
2. : to have the reverse of the desired or expected effect
their plans backfired