firing off
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: - The act of discharging a firearm: The specific action of shooting a gun, causing it to fire a bullet or projectile.
Usage
- This noun phrase is used to describe the specific, often singular, act of shooting a gun. It can imply a deliberate or rapid action.
Examples
- Noun:
- The sudden firing off of a rifle startled the birds.
- He was charged for the illegal firing off of his weapon within city limits.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase can be used metaphorically to describe the rapid sending out of a series of things, such as questions, letters, or emails. However, this is an extended, figurative use of the core meaning related to discharging a firearm.
- The journalist began firing off questions to the panel. (Here, 'firing off' functions as a phrasal verb, not the noun phrase 'firing off').
Variants and Related Words
- Fire (verb): To discharge a gun or projectile.
- Discharge (noun/verb): The act of firing a weapon; to fire a weapon.
- Shooting (noun): The action of firing a gun.
Synonyms
- Discharge (of a firearm)
- Shooting
Phrasal Verbs (Related)
- Fire off (phrasal verb): To shoot a gun, or to send something rapidly and forcefully (e.g., a letter, an email, a question).
- The soldier fired off three rounds.
- She fired off an angry email to customer service.
Noun
- the act of discharging a gun