hang fire

present singular third person hangs fire · participle present hanging fire · participle past hung fire · past hung fire

1. To fail to fire immediately when the trigger is pulled.

   […] a number of Portuguese soldiers entered, one of whom, taking me for a Frenchman, for I had the French soldier's jacket on, my own being wet, snapped his piece at me, which luckily hung fire.

   1841, Edward Costello, The adventures of a soldier

2. figurativelyTo wait or hold back.

   We were told to hang fire on the decision until management came back with a proposal.

   2 more examples

   “I’m just goin’ ter settle this little ——, that’s all,” said Dawes desperately. “What do you mean?” snapped Thomas Jordan. “What I say,” said Dawes, but he hung fire.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 13”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   Kevin hung fire where he was, staring at Chaney's body with dilated eyes and a slowly greening complexion.

   1993, Dana Stabenow, A Fatal Thaw, →ISBN, page 132

plural hang fires · alternative hangfire · alternative hang-fire

1. engineeringThe situation when a gun does not immediately fire when the trigger is pulled, but may fire shortly after.