touchpaper
Britishnoun
-
paper soaked in saltpetre and used for firing gunpowder
-
to do something that will cause much anger or excitement
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The touchpaper had been lit – and thankfully Ashe was now pretty much full to witness it.
From BBC
Asian markets are set for an explosive open on Wednesday after a below-consensus reading of headline U.S. inflation lit the touchpaper for a rally across all risky assets on Tuesday, although investors will be mindful of the steep rise in U.S. bond yields.
From Reuters
He diverted it into his own net, unwittingly lighting the blue touchpaper.
From BBC
Reddit-fuelled stock craze has lit the touchpaper, he said.
From Reuters
The touchpaper under the rocketing share price was lit in October, when the company surprised many investors with a quarterly profit and a bullish outlook.
From The Guardian
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
