touchpapern.
/ˈtʌtʃˌpeɪpə/, U.S. /ˈtətʃˌpeɪpər/ 1. Paper used for igniting gunpowder, typically being impregnated with potassium nitrate so as to burn slowly and steadily; (in later use) spec. such paper used to set off fireworks.
ΘΚΠ
society > armed hostility > military equipment > weapon > device for discharging missiles > firearm > equipment for use with firearms > [noun] > touch-paper or tape-primer
touchpaper1724
tape-primer1877
the world > matter > light > firework > [noun] > parts of
quill1629
report1653
red fire1680
cartouche1719
blue light1761
sun case1765
choke1786
settle1873
touchpaper1873
wheel-case1875
lance1878
starting powder1886
pastille1890
1724 A. Godfrey Acct. New Method Extinguishing Fires iv. 24 His Touch-Paper which he so mightily extolls..is pasted upon the Screw, and hangs dangling down on all Sides. It is nothing else but Paper impregnated with a Solution of Salt-petre.
1752 Philos. Trans. 1749–50 (Royal Soc.) 46 449 Neither these, nor those of Cheltenham, will deflagrate or flash in Touch-Paper.
1832 M. R. Mitford Our Village V. 113 Why dost thou not fire?.. So please your worship, the wind hath extinguished the touch-paper.
1873 E. Spon Workshop Receipts 1st Ser. 131/2 Touchpaper..placed..round the mouth of the firework, and twisted into a point.
1919 Pop. Sci. July 102/3 For use as fuses in several of the succeeding experiments a quantity of touch-paper will be desirable.
1989 Daily Tel. 10 Nov. 23/6 The fireworks he bought this year had a long thin fuse instead of a touchpaper.
2011 S. Wales Evening Post (Nexis) 3 Nov. 39 The gates open at the Killay ground at 6pm, with the touchpaper being lit at 7.15pm.
2. A cause, a catalyst, esp. one that precipitates a dramatic change.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > change > change to something else, transformation > [noun] > cause of transformation
forschuppild?c1225
converter1533
transformer1601
plantator1616
transformator1617
transmogrifier1676
new broom1799
transformist1799
denaturalizer1832
catalyser1904
wind (also winds) of change1905
catalyst1943
touchpaper1968
1968 Times 2 Feb. 21/6 But it is the growth of staff associations that is providing the ‘touch paper’ in a delicate situation.
1990 New Scientist 28 July 42/1 The touchpaper was the realisation that the technology existed, or could certainly be developed, to enable scientists to tackle the ultimate problem in molecular genetics.
2005 New Statesman 8 Aug. 39/2 Even negative reviews—an infallible touchpaper to wounded writerly vanity—fail to provoke him.
Phrases
figurative. Chiefly British. to light the blue touchpaper: to set a course of exciting or dramatic events in motion. Frequently used in reference to an action that is likely cause anger or controversy.From lighting instructions found on fireworks.
ΚΠ
1956 Observer 29 Apr. 16/5 The full-back, Moses, lit the blue touch-paper. He burst through inside his own ‘25’ and passed to Howard.
1990 D. Dunn in Roomful of Birds 73 He had heard ding-dong verbal battles there before, but nothing like as combative. Still, it had been building up for weeks. All it took was Mussonwell to light the blue touch-paper and stand back.
2010 Independent 27 Apr. 12/2 That seems to have lit the blue touch paper, because Mr Harvey grabbed him by his collar and started dragging him out of the classroom.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1724- to be buddies with
- to be buddy-buddies with
- to be buddybuddies with
- to be buds with
- to be built for comfort, not for speed
- to be built like
- to be bumping along the bottom
- to be buried in woollen
- to be burnt out
- to be bursting
- to be busting
- to be busy enough
- to be busy to do
- to be busy with
- to be butt-fucked
- to be buttfucked
- to be by the ears
- to be by the lugs
- to be by way of
- to be by with it
- to be called to one's reward
- to be called to the bar
- to be called within the bar
- to be capped to
- to be carried with