trigger

trig|ger¹ [ˈtrıgə US -ər] n

↑barrel, ↑sight, ↑trigger

[Date: 1600-1700; : Dutch; Origin: trekker, from Middle Dutch trecken 'to pull'; TREK²]

1.) the part of a gun that you pull with your finger to fire it

pull/squeeze the trigger

▪ He took aim and squeezed the trigger.

2.) be the trigger (point) (for sth)

to be the thing that quickly causes a serious problem

▪ The hijacking became a trigger point for military action.

trigger ²

trigger² also trigger off v [T]

1.) to make something happen very quickly, especially a series of events

▪ 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.

2.) to make something such as a bomb or electrical system start to operate

▪ The burglars fled after triggering the alarm .