trigger

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/ UK /ˈtɹɪɡəː/ See IPA manual

Freq #3120

Meanings

1

verb
To cause something to happen or start, often suddenly.

The controversial article triggered a flood of angry letters.
2

noun
Something that causes an event or reaction to begin.

Sleeping in an unfamiliar room can be a trigger for sleepwalking.
3

noun
The small lever you pull with your finger to fire a gun.

He hesitated before pulling the trigger.
4

verb
To cause a strong, usually negative, emotional reaction in someone.

The film may trigger painful memories for some viewers.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with trigger

trigger off Phrasal verb B1

to cause a process or reaction to begin

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to cause something to... cause set off initiate activate

Word family

Forms triggeredtriggeringtriggers

Derived forms hair-triggerself-triggertrigger-happytriggeredtriggerishtriggerlesstriggerliketriggermantriggernometrytriggerplanttriggerwomantriggery

Related forms trek

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

trigger off
to cause a process or reaction to begin

Verb + adverb

Idioms (1)

See all

pull the trigger
to finally make a decision and act on it

Simplified etymology

Trigger, recorded from the early 17th century, comes from the same Dutch source as trek, associated with the meaning “pull.”

Etymology

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

trekker Dutch trekken Middle Dutch

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# trigger

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈtɹɪɡəː/
**Frequency rank:** 3120

## Meanings
1. To cause something to happen or start, often suddenly.
2. Something that causes an event or reaction to begin.
3. The small lever you pull with your finger to fire a gun.
4. To cause a strong, usually negative, emotional reaction in someone.

## Examples
- The controversial article triggered a flood of angry letters.
- Sleeping in an unfamiliar room can be a trigger for sleepwalking.
- He hesitated before pulling the trigger.
- The film may trigger painful memories for some viewers.

## Derived Forms
- hair-trigger
- self-trigger
- trigger-happy
- triggered
- triggerish
- triggerless
- triggerlike
- triggerman
- triggernometry
- triggerplant
- triggerwoman
- triggery

## Related Forms
- trek

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: trekker
- Root: trekken

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

## AI Etymology
Trigger originally tricker, from Dutch trekker (“pull”, noun, as in drawer-pull, bell-pull), from Dutch trekken (“to drag, draw, pull”). The historical line also includes Dutch trekker, Dutch trekken. In present-day use, it can mean to cause something to happen or start, often suddenly, or something that causes an event or reaction to begin. Derived formations include hair-trigger, self-trigger, trigger-happy, triggered, triggerish, triggerless, triggerlike, triggerman.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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