trigger
- 01 B1 Intermediate
n.the small lever you pull with your finger to fire a gun.
n.a finger-operated lever used to discharge a firearm.
Simple“He kept his finger off the trigger until he was ready to shoot at the target.”
In context“The forensic report indicated that the trigger had been modified to require very little pressure, suggesting the weapon was intended for competitive marksman use.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that causes a process or a series of events to begin.
n.an event, stimulus, or circumstance that initiates a mechanical, chemical, or social process.
Simple“The sudden drop in stock prices was the trigger for a global financial crisis.”
In context“Economists debated whether the tax hike was the primary trigger for the recession or merely a contributing factor in an already fragile market.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.something that causes someone to feel upset or remember a bad experience.
n.a stimulus that elicits a strong emotional response or initiates a traumatic memory in an individual.
Simple“Certain smells can be a trigger for people who have experienced a fire.”
In context“The therapist worked with the patient to identify specific environmental triggers that preceded his panic attacks.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.an electrical signal that starts a component or a computer program.
n.a pulse or signal in an electronic circuit or database that initiates a specific action or procedure.
Simple“The sensor sends a trigger to the camera to take a photo when it detects movement.”
In context“The database administrator configured a trigger to automatically update the inventory levels whenever a new sales record was inserted into the system.”
- 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to make something start happening, especially suddenly.
v.to initiate or precipitate a chain of events or a specific reaction. Transitive, requiring a direct object.
Simple“The smoke from the burnt toast triggered the fire alarm in the hallway.”
In context“The discovery of the virus in the local water supply triggered an immediate emergency response from the public health department.”
- 06 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to cause someone to have a strong, usually negative, emotional reaction.
v.to provoke a strong emotional or psychological reaction, often relating to past trauma. Frequently used in passive constructions.
Simple“Loud noises can trigger some veterans who have been in combat.”
In context“The documentary was preceded by a warning that some of the graphic footage might trigger viewers sensitive to depictions of violence.”
Usage trigger seizures
“Any tactic which can be judged as disrupting play - including leaving the ball on a cone and dropping the ball for a team-mate - could trigger a countdown.”
“While their immediate effect on air quality is obvious, they can also trigger less visible but significant environmental effects, including algal blooms.”
Originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.