hair trigger

¹ American  

noun

1. a trigger that allows the firing mechanism of a firearm to be operated by very slight pressure.

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hair-trigger ² American  

[hair-trig-er] / ˈhɛərˌtrɪg ər /

adjective

1. easily activated or set off; reacting immediately to the slightest provocation or cause.

   a hair-trigger temper.

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hair trigger British  

noun

1. a trigger of a firearm that responds to very slight pressure

2. informal

   1. any mechanism, reaction, etc, set in operation by slight provocation

   2. ( as modifier )

      a hair-trigger temper

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Etymology

Origin of hair trigger¹

First recorded in 1815–25

Origin of hair-trigger²

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

Years of mismanagement and ill-fated transfers have left Spurs with a jumbled squad and a hair trigger for firing coaches.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sentiment around the sector remains on a hair trigger, and it won’t take much to knock it back down, like a fictional Substack post on Monday that sent the software ETF down 4.8%.

From Barron's

Investors appear to have been on hair trigger.

From Barron's

“These things were a little bit on a hair trigger,” Green said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Rear buttons aside, the Scuf’s other big feature is its hair triggers, which have the quickest response of all the controllers tested here.

From The Verge

Related Words

• critical
• precarious
• sensitive
• ticklish
• touchy
• tricky
• unpredictable
• volatile