hang fire

H

hang fire (idiom)
/ˌhæŋ ˈfaɪə(r)/

Meanings

• To delay or postpone an action or decision.
• To hesitate or stall before doing something.
• (Firearms) When a gun or firearm fails to fire immediately but discharges after a short delay.

Synonyms: delay; postpone; hesitate; stall; procrastinate; linger; dawdle; loiter; tarry; drag one’s feet.

Variants

• hangfire
• hang fire (noun) – the situation of delayed ignition
• hang fire (verb) – to experience or cause a delay
• hold fire – similar figurative expression meaning to delay action

Example Sentences

1. The committee decided to hang fire on approving the new policy until more data was available.
2. Negotiations are hanging fire because of unresolved issues.
3. She chose to hang fire before replying to the job offer.
4. The rifle experienced a hang fire, discharging a few seconds after the trigger was pulled.
5. Always wait 30 seconds before opening the action after a hang fire to ensure safety.
6. The soldier’s weapon had a hang fire, causing a delayed discharge.

Origin and History

The phrase “hang fire” originates from the mechanics of early firearms, particularly black powder and flintlock weapons prevalent from the sixteenth century onward. In this literal sense, it described the delayed ignition of gunpowder in the priming pan, where a spark failed to immediately ignite the main charge in the barrel. This could result in a hazardous pause before discharge or, occasionally, a complete failure to fire. The term “hang” evokes suspension or lingering in a state of inaction, while “fire” directly refers to the ignition process. Over time, this technical description evolved into a figurative sense, denoting hesitation, postponement, or stalled progress in non-technical matters, implying a tension-laden delay in anticipated outcomes.

Theories and Interpretations

Some interpretations suggest a military origin, where “hang fire” might have served as a command to hold fire until a tactical moment. However, this appears secondary to its primary reference to firearm delay. Historical accounts emphasize that the phrase’s emergence was closely tied to the unreliability of pre-industrial weaponry, where environmental factors, inconsistent powder quality, and technological limitations made delayed firing a real and common hazard. The unpredictability of firearms thus directly influenced the metaphorical extension of the phrase into human decision-making and hesitation.

Country of Origin

Hang fire first appeared in England, a country where flintlock muskets and muzzle-loading firearms were widely used during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The phrase reflects the technological and cultural environment of early modern Britain, including military developments during periods such as the English Civil Wars. Its figurative usage emerged in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century British discourse, eventually spreading to other English-speaking regions through colonial and literary channels.

Earliest Printed Record

The earliest known printed use of hang fire appears in the 1596 English military treatise The Art of Warre by William Bourne, a mathematician, gunner, and military engineer. The work, published in London during a period of military innovation, discusses artillery, infantry tactics, and the practicalities of early firearms. Bourne recounts a battlefield incident where an assailant’s weapon “snapped his piece at me, which luckily hung fire,” illustrating the delayed ignition that spared the narrator’s life. This record captures the phrase’s literal meaning and its roots in the real hazards of sixteenth-century English warfare, laying the groundwork for its later figurative use to describe hesitation or delay.

Historical Evolution and Figurative Usage

By the late eighteenth century, “hang fire” had transitioned from a specialized gunnery term to a broader idiom for delay or procrastination, reflecting the suspense inherent in both firearm malfunctions and human hesitation. Advancements in firearm technology, such as percussion caps, reduced literal occurrences but enhanced metaphorical usage in literature and correspondence. Throughout the nineteenth century, the phrase became common in narrative prose to convey unresolved tension or suspended action. In modern usage, it continues to signify temporary pause or delay, occasionally implying relaxed waiting, while retaining the imagery of latent energy and the potential for sudden action.

Fire, Time