trigger1 verbtrigger2 noun
triggertrig‧ger1 /ˈtrɪɡə $ -ər/ ●●○ AWL (also trigger off) verb [transitive] 
VERB TABLE
trigger
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | trigger |
| he, she, it | triggers | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | triggered |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have triggered |
| he, she, it | has triggered | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had triggered |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will trigger |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have triggered |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am triggering |
| he, she, it | is triggering | |
| you, we, they | are triggering | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was triggering |
| you, we, they | were triggering | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been triggering |
| he, she, it | has been triggering | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been triggering |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be triggering |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been triggering |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The incident could trigger a civil war.
- Doling out parts of the database to various companies could have triggered chaos on the Internet, Fernandes said.
- He gazed at an ineffable, agonizing radiance which only he could perceive, banishing whatever throwback emotions the brew had triggered.
- He would trigger the necessary invitation on his return to Moscow.
- It is with these shares that one is concerned to ensure that the Schedule E charge can not be triggered.
- Many of these same bacterial culprits are involved in triggering bad breath.
- Perhaps difficulty in obtaining natron through the traditionally established routes triggered the use of halophytic plants instead.
- The policy shift was triggered by a sharp increase in violent crimes committed by young offenders during the late 1980s.
THESAURUS
to make something happen, especially something bad: · Bad weather has caused a lot of problems on the roads.· The fault caused the whole computer system to shut down.
to cause someone to do something, or cause something to happen. Make is less formal than cause, and is the usual word to use in everyday English: · What made you decide to become a teacher?· I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.· Gravity is the force which makes the planets move round the Sun.
if someone or something is responsible for something bad, they caused it to happen: · The excessive heat was responsible for their deaths.· A small militant group was responsible for the bombing.
to make something happen – used especially about changes or improvements: · The Internet has brought about enormous changes in society.· It’s important that we do everything we can to bring about peace.
if an action or event results in something, it makes that thing happen: · The fire resulted in the deaths of two children.· The decision is likely to result in a large number of job losses.
to cause something to happen eventually after a period of time: · The information led to several arrests.· A poor diet in childhood can lead to health problems later in life.
if one event triggers another, it suddenly makes the second event happen: · The incident triggered a wave of violence.· An earthquake off Java’s southern coast triggered a tsunami.
formal to make a very serious event happen very suddenly, which will affect a lot of people: · The withdrawal of foreign investment would precipitate an economic crisis.· The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand precipitated World War I.
Longman Language Activatorto make something bad suddenly happen if someone or something sets off a fight, war etc, it makes it start happening: set off something: · The army's invasion set off a major international crisis.set something off: · Nobody knows what set the riot off.
if a small action or event triggers or sparks serious trouble or changes, it causes them to happen very quickly: · Even the smallest diplomatic incident can trigger a major international conflict.· The assassination of Archduke Francis Ferdinand sparked the First World War.trigger/spark off something: · Riots, sparked off by the arrest of seven student leaders, have spread to other universities.
formal to make something serious happen, especially more quickly than was expected: · The 1929 stock market crash precipitated the collapse of the American banking system.· Both countries claimed the same area, precipitating a border war.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
His action triggered a massive response from the government. The burglars fled after triggering the alarm.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1to make something happen very quickly, especially a series of events: (=make you suddenly remember something)
His action triggered a massive response from the government. The burglars fled after triggering the alarm. (=make it start ringing)· A window blew open, setting off the alarm.
(=start it)· The lower interest rates triggered an economic boom.
(=cause a debate to start)· The episode provoked fierce debate about freedom of speech.
(=cause an explosion)· Investigators believe a fuel leak may have triggered the explosion.
(=make someone ill)· Wheat is one of the foods that are most likely to cause a reaction.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB· Menopause symptoms are similar to those of food intolerance and may in fact be triggered off by hormone changes.· For Francesca, who's almost 3, suffers from a brain disorder which triggers off convulsive fits.· Begin by jotting down what you think they are, plus any thoughts this triggers off.· Any inability to carry the weight on the hind-legs will trigger off resistance in the mouth.· Deliberately he walked into the minefield, triggering off every mine and thus absorbing in his own body the entire explosion.· Verbal echoes and ambiguities may trigger off metaphorical associations that are not necessarily conceptually justified.· They will be less likely to trigger off more spots.· If perception has to be triggered off by what is actually there, then it is constrained to be true.
NOUN· The process Examine.Request was considered to be the transaction centre as it triggers many courses of actions in the system.· The result is that a larger stimulus is required to trigger an action potential.· Some of the disturbances were triggered by the provocative actions of local Whigs and Dissenters.
· It will produce the hard data needed to analyse resource utilisation and will trigger an alarm mechanism allowing managers to control access.· When triggered, the alarm seems to call in squads of immune cells that surround tuberculosis bacteria and keep them from spreading.· Within one minute of being triggered, the alarm summons about 50 staff to the problem spot.· Control were trying to get hold of him, to verify that he had accidentally triggered his window alarm.
· Certain foods can trigger an attack.· Still, the smell of smoke inevitably triggers an asthma attack.· They should also be avoided if you suffer from asthma; concentrated steam may trigger an attack.· For example, many teen-agers with asthma find that exercise triggers an attack.
· Menopause symptoms are similar to those of food intolerance and may in fact be triggered off by hormone changes.· This triggers chemical changes in your body, which reacts as if threatened by a foreign substance.· Stage 4 is the familiar multiplier, only this time triggered off by a change in imports and exports.· But he has had personal success at triggering such changes.
· Zamfara already adopted sharia in October, triggering a debate on federalism and civil liberties.· The first state to publicly debate the issue of competition in public education, Minnesota triggered the national debate about choice.· Even the slightest interface aspect could trigger a heated debate, with adherents of opposing solutions arguing with near-Jesuitical intensity.
· The events that triggered our dieter into breaking the diet were: 1.· This is a condition affecting the events which trigger the operation and will enable the triggering of that operation.· There is no evidence that stress causes addiction as such although a stressful life event may trigger latent addictive disease.· So, the stereotyped growth cycle provides a clock, or calendar, by means of which embryological events may be triggered.· Operations on attributes will be necessary following the event: an event triggers an operation or a series of operations.
· But the textbook gods never triggered any four-volume memory in my head.· The smell triggers your memory first.· The triggering at birth of memories about difficult past birth experiences sometimes results in anger or sadness.
· A vicious circle has triggered her problems.· Graduating payments and particularly the high score needed to trigger any payment are problems.· Therapeutic counselling for long-term problems - these may be triggered by the fertility problem and sometimes need outside referral to marital therapy.· Often, this realisation is quite sudden, being triggered by a particular problem or crisis.
· Perceptions contain no element of approval or disapproval though they may trigger a reaction in terms of approval.· That released the firing pin, which in turn fired the percussion cap and triggered a chemical reaction that generated oxygen.· Explain that you have an allergy to certain foods and that these will trigger a reaction.· Conditions like these would likely trigger a rapid reaction.· Once it has been killed, the kitten may trigger off a new reaction.· Scientists have strong evidence that Type I diabetes is a metabolic disorder triggered by an autoimmune reaction.· Disagreeing on seven out of ten occasions triggers a defensive reaction or even further disagreements.· They reach a point where even the smallest stimulus will trigger off a massive reaction.
· Just how the sperm triggers the explosive release of calcium in the egg is still something of a mystery.· This may be caused when capsaicin triggers the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.
· Could she have triggered some unwanted response in this mysterious man, entirely by accident?· The book, Golf in the Kingdom, triggered responses I had not expected.· Just a few molecules were enough to trigger a severe response.· It will be made of a string of cocaine molecules that triggers an immune antibody response.· Just seeing me there would trigger thief responses of some one like Gharr.· It triggers a response intended to freeze the organization at the present point in its development.· There are so many ways in which our intolerance will trigger an angry response either in ourselves or others.· The Powell speech and the dockers' march triggered a response.
· It would only take a computer error or a mutiny by some of those manning the weapons to trigger a global war.
The assassination triggered off a wave of rioting. Certain forms of mental illness can be triggered by food allergies.trigger a memory (=make you suddenly remember something) His action triggered a massive response from the government.► see thesaurus at cause2to make something such as a bomb or electrical system start to operate SYN set off: The burglars fled after triggering the alarm.trigger1 verbtrigger2 noun
triggertrigger2 ●○○ AWL noun [countable] WORD ORIGINtrigger1
Origin:
1600-1700 Dutch trekker, from Middle Dutch trecken ‘to pull’; ➔ TREK2EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- He snapped off a shot, hardly even bothering to point the gun before he squeezed the trigger.
- I pause because telling the dream out loud has tripped the trigger.
- Research has shown that lack of sleep and other triggers such as stress cause a deficiency of the brain chemical dopamine.
- The trigger, which gives the fish its name, is the leading ray of its dorsal fin which has become bony.
- This time when the firing stopped, he stuck the shotgun round the door with his right hand and pulled the trigger.
- Where education reduces fertility, which is nearly everywhere, the trigger point varies according to cultural influences.
WORD SETS
air rifle, nounair-to-air, adjectiveammo, nounammunition, nounanti-aircraft, adjectiveanti-personnel, adjectiveanti-tank, adjectivearmament, nounarmoured car, nounarmourer, nounarmour-plated, adjectivearrow, nounarrowhead, nounarsenal, nounartillery, nounatomic bomb, nounautomatic, nounballistic missile, nounballistics, nounbandolier, nounbarbed, adjectivebarrage, nounbarrage balloon, nounbarrel, nounbattering ram, nounbattery, nounbayonet, nounbayonet, verbbazooka, nounBB gun, nounblank, nounblaze, verbblowpipe, nounbludgeon, nounblunderbuss, nounbolt, nounbomb, nounbomber, nounbombing, nounbomb scare, nounbooby trap, nounboom, nounbore, nounbow, nounbrass knuckles, nounbroadsword, nounbuckshot, nounbullet, nounbullet-proof, adjectivebutt, nouncaisson, nouncalibre, nouncanister, nouncannon, nouncannonball, nouncarbine, nouncartridge, nouncatapult, nounchain mail, nounchamber, nouncharge, verbchemical warfare, nounchemical weapon, nounclip, nouncluster bomb, nouncock, verbColt, conventional, adjectivecordite, nouncosh, nouncrossbow, nouncruise missile, nounCS gas, nouncudgel, nouncutlass, nouncut-throat razor, noundagger, noundart, noundecommission, verbdetonator, noundevice, noundirk, noundisarm, verbdischarge, verbdismount, verbdouble-barrelled, duel, nounduel, verbdum-dum, nounelevation, nounemplacement, nounequalizer, nounfirearm, nounfirebomb, nounflak, nounflame thrower, nounflick knife, nounforty-five, nounfusillade, nounfusion bomb, noungauge, noungerm warfare, noungrenade, nounguidance, nounguided missile, noungun, noungun carriage, noungunner, noungunnery, noungunpowder, noungun-running, noungunshot, nounhaft, nounhair trigger, nounhalberd, nounhammer, nounhand grenade, nounhandgun, nounH-bomb, nounheat-seeking, adjectiveheavy, adjectivehilt, nounholster, nounhoming device, nounhowitzer, nounhydrogen bomb, nounICBM, nounincendiary, adjectiveKalashnikov, nounknuckle-duster, nounlance, nounlandmine, nounlive, adjectivelongbow, nounlong-range, adjectivemace, nounmachete, nounmachine gun, nounmagazine, nounmagnum, nounmarksman, nounmarksmanship, nounmegaton, nounmisfire, verbmissile, nounmortar, nounmunitions, nounmushroom cloud, nounmusket, nounmustard gas, nounmuzzle, nounnapalm, nounnerve gas, nounnightstick, nounnitroglycerine, nounnon-proliferation, nounnosecone, nounnuclear, adjectivenuke, verbnuke, nounordnance, nounparry, verbpayload, nounpepper, verbpike, nounpistol, nounplastic explosive, noun.22, nounpoison gas, nounpommel, nounpound, verbprime, verbprimer, nounprojectile, nounpropellant, nounquarterstaff, nounramrod, nounrange, nounrapid-fire, adjectiverapier, nounrearm, verbrecoil, verbrepeater, nounreport, nounrevolver, nounrifle, nounrocket, nounround, nounrubber bullet, nounsabre, nounsafety catch, nounsawn-off shotgun, nounscabbard, nounscimitar, nounsemi-automatic, adjectiveshaft, nounsheathe, verbshell, nounshell, verbshield, nounshooter, nounshot, nounshotgun, nounshrapnel, nounsidearm, nounsight, nounsilencer, nounsilo, nounsix-shooter, nounslash, nounsling, nounslingshot, nounslug, nounsmart bomb, nounsmoke bomb, nounsmokescreen, nounsnipe, verbsniper, nounspear, nounspear, verbSten gun, nounstockpile, nounstockpile, verbstun gun, nounsubmachine gun, nounsurface-to-air missile, nounsurface-to-surface missile, nounswordsmanship, nountank, nountear gas, nounthermonuclear, adjectivetime bomb, nountommy gun, nountorpedo, nountorpedo, verbtracer, nountrident, nountrigger, nountruncheon, noununload, verbvolley, nounvolley, verbwarhead, nounwater cannon, nounweapon, nounweaponry, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He took aim and squeezed the trigger.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
He took aim and squeezed the trigger. (=make it start ringing)· A window blew open, setting off the alarm.
(=start it)· The lower interest rates triggered an economic boom.
(=cause a debate to start)· The episode provoked fierce debate about freedom of speech.
(=cause an explosion)· Investigators believe a fuel leak may have triggered the explosion.
(=make someone ill)· Wheat is one of the foods that are most likely to cause a reaction.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Getting rid of weapons reduces the risk of accidental, unauthorised, hair trigger or pre-emptive use.
· He's not just a trigger man.· Inspector Napoleon Hendrix said last year that Temple was believed to be a trigger man for drug dealers.· The way he wrote it, I guessed he was as sure as anyone that I had been the trigger man.
· He said this type kills with a trigger mechanism.· The magazine ended and there was only a faint click from the trigger mechanism.· The answer was found during detailed studies of the trigger mechanism which activates the anemone's nematocysts or stinging cells.
· This scanner looks for trigger points.· A short-term goal provides a trigger point for such intermediate reinforcement.· Where education reduces fertility, which is nearly everywhere, the trigger point varies according to cultural influences.
VERB· Without adequate built-in safeguards, there will be other Susan Allens who will pull the trigger before they cry for help.· I thought about pulling the trigger, and the gun exploded, slapping back against my hand.· He had tried several times at a local shooting range but he couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger.· He checked that the breech was empty of bullets, then pumped the rifle up and pulled the trigger.· He pulled the trigger - and to his horror shot Christopher in the head.· She put the barrel of a pistol in her mouth and pulled the trigger.· He pulled the trigger, believing that the safety catch was on.· Interim athletic director Paul Bubb was right to pull the trigger and fire Cassidy on Wednesday.
· I cocked the old gun and squeezed the trigger, and it just went forward too slowly to fire a round.· Then, swallowing once, he shut his eyes and squeezed the trigger.· He snapped off a shot, hardly even bothering to point the gun before he squeezed the trigger.· Breathing becomes slower, then more shallow and finally the shooter holds about half a breath and squeezes the trigger.· He squeezed the trigger and the echo of the shot blasted all around the stairwell.· Leese rolled the throttle open to the indent starting position and squeezed the trigger switch on his collective.· He held the piece up and sighted it, squeezing the trigger, allowing the hammer to fall on an empty chamber.· I squeeze the trigger, recoil, smell the metallic smoke, hear the shotgun crack.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1the part of a gun that you pull with your finger to fire itpull/squeeze the trigger- All we had to experience was the trigger and off we went into a state of fear.
- And the loss of the ally may be the trigger which will start chain fission.
- Could either or both factors be the trigger?
- I had provided the direction in my lecture, and Our discussion was the trigger.
- That was the trigger that started the weeping.
- The new stand was the trigger for the layout.
- Your saying the work is urgent is the trigger, the result is lateness.
He took aim and squeezed the trigger.2be the trigger (point) (for something) to be the thing that quickly causes a serious problem: The hijacking became a trigger point for military action.