trigger

To fire (a weapon).

Adjective

  1. comparative form of trig: more trig

Origin

Originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”).

Noun

  1. A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
    • Just pull the trigger.
    • [W]e pull'd aſide the Tricker, and obſerv'd, that according to our expectation the force of the Spring of the Lock vvas not ſenſibly abated by the abſence of the Air. - 1659 December 30 (date written), Robert Boyle,...
  2. A similar device used to activate any mechanism.
  3. An event that initiates others, or incites a response.
    • Sleeping in an unfamiliar room can be a trigger for sleepwalking.

    1. (ASMR) Something that triggers an ASMR response.

  4. A concept or image that upsets somebody by sparking a negative emotional response.
    • emotional trigger
    • I can't watch that violent film. Blood is one of my triggers.

    Antonyms: glimmer

  5. An event, experience or other stimulus that initiates a traumatic memory or a strong reaction in a person.
  6. An electronic transducer allowing a drum, cymbal, etc. to control an electronic drum unit or similar device.
  7. A device that manually lengthens (or sometimes shortens) the slide or tubing of a brass instrument, allowing the pitch range to be altered while playing.
  8. A pulse in an electronic circuit that initiates some component.
  9. An SQL procedure that may be initiated when a record is inserted, updated or deleted; typically used to maintain referential integrity.
  10. A catch to hold the wheel of a carriage on a declivity.
  11. An argument whose semantic role determines the choice of a verbal affix, in certain Austronesian languages.

Forms

triggers tricker

Related

trek

Derived

chemoreceptor trigger zone grim trigger hair trigger hair-trigger have one's finger on the trigger itchy trigger finger mistrigger parent trigger phototrigger pretrigger pull the trigger Schmitt trigger triggered trigger finger triggerfish trigger flower trigger guard trigger-happy triggerish trigger law triggerless triggerlike triggerman triggernometry

Verb

  1. To fire (a weapon).
    • A U235 bomb would therefore need to incorporate a gun weighing ten tons. Then there was the question of initiating or triggering the bomb. - 2011, Jim Baggott, The First War of Physics, Pegasus Books, →ISBN:

    Synonyms: activate detonate fire set off

  2. To cause, to precipitate, to bring (something) about in response or as a result.
    • The controversial article triggered a deluge of angry letters from readers.
    • The accident followed torrential early morning rain that triggered widespread flooding across Scotland's tracks, including south of Carmont. - 2020 August 26, Philip Haigh, “Network News: Three die in ScotRail landslip...

    Synonyms: precipitate set off cause activate initiate

  3. To spark a response, especially a negative emotional response, in (a person).
    • This story contains a rape scene and may be triggering for rape victims.
    • People get triggered simply by seeing a Trump. - 2019, Donald Trump Jr., Triggered, Center Street, →ISBN:
    • I encountered a forum user who didn't agree with me, so I wrote some comments with my political slogans to trigger that clueless kiddo. - 2020 January 25, Ernesto Londoño, Letícia Casado, “Glenn Greenwald in Bolsonaro’s...

    Synonyms: push someone's buttons

  4. To activate; to become active.
    • Sodium nitrite (750 ppm) was added after the alarm triggered at three hours, and corrosion did not occur for over eight hours. - 1997, Mill Operators' Conference, page 182:

Forms

triggers triggering triggered

Derived

mistrigger phototrigger retrigger self-trigger triggerable triggerer untrigger