hangfireとは 意味・読み方・使い方

動詞

hang fire (三人称単数 現在形 hangs fire, 現在分詞 hanging fire, 過去形および過去分詞形 hung fire)

1. (of a firearm) To fail to fire immediately when the trigger is pulled.
   • 1841, Edward Costello, The adventures of a soldier:

     […] 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.

2. (figuratively) To wait or hold back.

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

   • 1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 13”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], OCLC 855945:

     “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.

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

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