fire off

1. To hastily write and send a message. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fire" and "off." He's always firing off angry emails and getting himself into trouble. Sheesh, did he bother to spell check this email, or did he just dash it off? Don't dash off a text that says something you'll regret later.

2. To make statements or ask questions in rapid succession. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fire" and "off." He fired off so many questions that I couldn't keep track of them all. I was supposed to be making a list, but she just fired off too many tasks! I couldn't keep up! Hey, it's not your place to fire off demands to my employees!

3. To shoot a weapon. A noun or pronoun can be used between "fire" and "off." Someone is out in the woods firing off a gun of some kind. But I didn't fire off the gun! It went off when I picked it up! You can hear hunters in the distance firing off their rifles.

See also: fire, off

fire something off (to someone)

Fig. to send something to someone immediately, by a very rapid means. Fire a letter off to Fred, ordering him to return home at once. I fired off a letter to Fred as you asked. I finished the e-mail and fired it off.

See also: fire, off

fire off

Say or write and send away rapidly, as in He fired off three more questions, or She fired off a letter of complaint to the president. This expression originally (from about 1700) was, and still is, used in the sense of "discharge a weapon or ammunition," as in The police were instructed to fire off canisters of tear gas. The figurative use dates from the late 1800s.

See also: fire, off

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

fire off

1. To say or ask something rapidly, especially a question or command: The prosecutor fired questions off to the witness. My parents fired off reasons why my plan wouldn't work.

2. To write and send a communication quickly: I fired off a positive reply to the job offer. My friend fired an angry letter off to the editor.

3. To shoot something from a weapon, especially in quick succession: The police officer fired off warning shots when the suspect approached them. At the parade, the color guard fired three shots off.

See also: fire, off

See also:

References in periodicals archive

The fire spread and melted a gas fire off the wall releasing gas into the room which exploded.''

Cigarette leads to explosion at house

Cardiss Collins (D-IL), respectfully." Whistle blower Michael Villaire, IABC member and managing editor of Critical Care Nurse, Aliso Viejo, Calif., said "Nice to know some legislators execute the duties of their offices with respect." I shall fire off another indignant letter, this one signed "Respectively yours."

Valek challenges role of health prevention; peers mull jibe v. jive

"There are clear signs that the North could simultaneously fire off Musudan, Scud and Nodong missiles," the source was quoted as saying.

N. Korea may fire off several missiles from different sites: Yonhap

Seoul officials say there are high chances that Pyongyang could fire off a missile around April 15 to mark the birthday of late founding leader Kim Il-sung, the current ruler Kim Jong-un's grandfather.(end) mk.wsa KUNA 111014 Apr 13NNNN

N. Korea shifts missile locations ahead of imminent launch - Yonhap

Witnesses told officers they saw a dark car, possibly a Ford Focus, draw up alongside the house and fire off a hail of shots.

House target in shooting

Seventeen firefighters tackled a grass fire off the Heads of the Valleys road.

Grass fire tackled for hours

Seattle's Quincy Quigg is easy to find in the phone book and is quick to fire off some rad envelopes to the mag.

Letter bombs

In LEDs, mobile electrons drop from higher to lower energy levels and fire off photons whose wavelengths correspond to the differences between those levels.

Crystal flaws tune the wavelengths. (Light Switch)

Stories such as Lott's show that it's worth the time--that if you're unsure about a fact in a news story, or think a reporter should have asked another question, it's worthwhile to fire up your browser or fire off an e-mail.

The Mystery of Mary Rosh: how a new form of journalism investigated a gun research riddle. (Columns)

Starr, now in a superstar private practice at Kirkland & Ellis, does occasionally fire off zingers to demonstrate that he, like President Bush, has issues with the wine-swilling Clintonites of Martha's Vineyard.

Starr lite

Readers like Christopher Taylor fire off letters to the newspapers when anyone criticises the music they adore.

Your Views: Real bands

He and Paul Stewart, 19, also admitted breaking into the church, pulling a gas fire off the wall and stealing household appliances and pounds 12.

Yob set fire to church

5 Filipino seamen missing off Falkland Islands !-- -- (philstar.com) - February 15, 2019 - 11:58am MANILA, Philippines Five Filipino seafarers have been reported missing after their ship caught fire off the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.

5 Filipino seamen missing off Falkland Islands

The official spokesman of the civil defense of Makkah Captain Naif Al-Shareef said the civil defense fire extinguishing squads immediately controlled the situation and put the fire off.

A fire flares up at two power stations in Makkah, burning two cars parking new one of the two stations