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firing

firing

14 3.0
The act of shooting a gun
  • noun
  • /ˈfaɪərɪŋ/
translation icon : disparo
  • As the PRC's PLA Navy (PLAN) has already demonstrated, it has the capability and the will to carry out naval exercises and missile firings near Taiwan.

And then we always in the in the firing squad off like this.

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Examples

  • Firing range injury leads to fine for BAE Systems.

    Academic text (2014)

  • Firing squad is most popular (96 countries), with hanging not far behind (78 countries).

    Academic text (2006)

  • And the question is, is the gun firing to kill the cat?

  • You can see the desperate firing that they have going on now.

  • Dusk fell and firing died out across the battlefield.

  • Firing erupted from the corridor beyond.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • Naval exercises and missile firings near Taiwan.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Some 75 hot firings will be conducted at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

    Academic text (1998)

  • The absurdity of Egypt's response to Hamas's missile firings that provoked Israel's counter-attack shouldn't be ignored.

    Blog text (26)

  • The firing of the gun startled everyone at the shooting range.

Synonyms

fire
vsfiring
∞ 5.9

Shooting weapons at an enemy or target

is used generally across contexts rather than stressing military targeting
shooting
vsfiring
350 2.3

Firing a gun for practice or sport

is the general term for that act across weapons
gunshot
vsfiring
228 2.3

An event when someone shoots a gun and a bullet leaves the gun

refers to the whole act rather than only a single shot
gunfire
vsfiring
204 2.5

The sound or act of shooting guns

describes the act itself rather than sounds or bursts
discharge
vsfiring
10 5.5

A single shot made when a gun or weapon fires

is the more formal term for the same action

Idioms

in the firing line
  • Informal
1 7.6

In a position where people may blame or criticize you

Compounds

firing squad
23 6.8

A group of soldiers ordered to shoot and kill someone or to fire a military salute

firing range
14 3.7

An area where people practice shooting at targets, usually with guns

firing off
9 6.0

An act of shooting a gun or rifle

firing pin
  • Specialized
5 6.8

A small metal part inside a gun that hits the cartridge to start the bullet moving

firing mechanism
  • Specialized
2 6.8

Part of a gun that makes the bullet move out of the barrel

rocket firing
  • Specialized
2 4.5

An event when a rocket moves into the sky using its engines

circular firing squad
  • Literature
2 8.8

A situation where group members blame or attack each other and harm the group's chances

firing line
1 5.8

A line where soldiers shoot at the enemy

firing line
  • Informal
1 5.7

A position where a person faces strong criticism

firing chamber
  • Specialized
7.2

Part of a gun where a bullet sits before you shoot

firing party
8.2

A group of soldiers who fire rifles as a funeral salute or for an execution

How Intense

bombardment
47 7.0
barrage
  • Specialized
14 7.6
volley
  • Specialized
11 6.8
firing
14 3.0
shot
∞ 2.3

Surface Forms

firing singular
firings plural

Morphology

firing = fire (transparent) = fire + ing

Standard -ing nominalization of the verb 'fire' in the sense 'to discharge'; the noun denotes the act of shooting.

Etymology

Firing meaning the shooting of a gun comes from the verb fire, which once also meant 'to shoot'. So firing is the act of 'shooting a weapon'.