trigger
Americannoun
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a small projecting tongue in a firearm that, when pressed by the finger, actuates the mechanism that discharges the weapon.
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a device, as a lever, the pulling or pressing of which releases a catch or spring.
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anything, as an act or event, that serves as a stimulus and initiates or precipitates a reaction or series of reactions.
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something that evokes the memory of a traumatic experience, setting off an intense negative emotional reaction.
This issue of the magazine contains accounts of sexual assault, and may be a trigger for some people.
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Slang. triggerman.
verb (used with object)
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to initiate or precipitate (a chain of events, scientific reaction, psychological process, etc.).
Their small protest triggered a mass demonstration.
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to fire or explode (a gun, missile, etc.) by pulling a trigger or releasing a triggering device.
He accidentally triggered his rifle.
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to set off a negative emotional reaction in (someone), as by evoking the memory of a traumatic experience, repeatedly raising a sensitive issue, etc..
I missed seeing my mom in the ICU before she died, and imagining her there triggers me every time I see ICU footage on TV.
verb (used without object)
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to release a trigger.
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to become active; activate.
idioms
noun
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a small projecting lever that activates the firing mechanism of a firearm
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machinery a device that releases a spring-loaded mechanism or a similar arrangement
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any event that sets a course of action in motion
verb
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(usually foll by off) to give rise (to); set off
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to fire or set in motion by or as by pulling a trigger
Other Word Forms
- triggered adjective
- triggerless adjective
Etymology
Origin of trigger
First recorded in 1615–25; earlier tricker, from Dutch trekker, equivalent to trekk(en) “to pull” + -er -er 1
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.
Without the trial, it’s unlikely the public will ever know what triggered the bizarre string of tree cuttings.
From Los Angeles Times
“The key lesson is that stock market corrections become dangerous when they coincide with existing vulnerabilities, trigger financial instability and—crucially—interact with high leverage,” McKeown writes.
From Barron's
Scientists use it to determine how sunlight triggers the release of other gases and to compare the mix of frozen materials inside a comet's nucleus.
From Science Daily
A fast moving storm drenched Los Angeles overnight and triggered a flash flood warning in a local burn scar Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
From Los Angeles Times
Recent pressure on digital assets, which has also hit crypto companies, was triggered by tech stock jitters linked to the AI trade.
From Barron's
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.
