# trigger

Pronunciation: US say "TRIG-ur" /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/; UK say "TRIG-uh" /ˈtɹɪɡə/

## Noun

1. A finger-operated lever that fires a gun when pulled.
   - Simple: A small lever you pull with your finger to fire a gun.
   - _The soldier squeezed the trigger in a single smooth motion._
   - _A light pull on the trigger was enough to release the shot._
2. An event that sets others in motion or provokes a response.
   - Simple: An event that makes other things start to happen.
   - _The assassination served as the trigger for a wider war._
   - _Rising prices were the trigger that pushed workers to strike._
4. An event, experience, or stimulus that sets off a traumatic memory or strong reaction in a person.
   - Simple: Something that brings back a painful memory or causes a strong reaction.
   - _Her therapist helped her identify the triggers behind her panic attacks._
   - _Certain crowded places remain a powerful trigger for his anxiety._
6. A subject, image, or other cue that provokes distress in someone, typically by stirring up painful memories or feelings.
   - Simple: An idea or picture that upsets someone and causes bad feelings.
   - _The author added a warning because the chapter contained a possible trigger._
   - _Graphic images of war can be a trigger for those who served._
7. A lever like a gun's, used to set any mechanism in action.
   - Simple: A lever or switch that sets a machine or device working.
   - _She squeezed the trigger on the spray bottle to release the cleaner._
   - _The mechanism activates the moment the trigger is pressed._
10. A pulse in an electronic circuit that initiates the action of some component.
   - Simple: A short electrical signal that starts part of a circuit working.
   - _The oscilloscope captures the waveform each time it receives a trigger._
   - _Engineers timed the trigger to fire exactly at the clock edge._
11. An SQL procedure that runs automatically when a record is inserted, updated, or deleted, often used to maintain referential integrity.
   - Simple: A small program that runs automatically when data in a database changes.
   - _The developer wrote a trigger to cascade deletions to related tables._
   - _Every time a row is updated, the trigger writes an entry to the audit log._
12. An electronic transducer that lets a drum, cymbal, or similar instrument control an electronic drum unit or comparable device.
   - Simple: A small sensor on a drum that controls an electronic drum sound.
   - _The drummer mounted a trigger on each tom for the live set._
   - _A misplaced trigger picked up vibrations from the neighboring drum._
13. A mechanism on a brass instrument that lets the player lengthen, or occasionally shorten, a slide or section of tubing to change the range of available pitches during play.
   - Simple: A part on a brass instrument that changes its tubing length to alter the pitch.
   - _He adjusted the trigger to bring the low notes into tune._
   - _Some trumpets include a trigger on the third valve slide._
15. In some Austronesian languages, the verb argument whose semantic role decides which affix appears on the verb.
   - Simple: In some languages, the word in a sentence that decides which form a verb takes.
   - _In Tagalog, the trigger is marked and the verb agrees with its semantic role._
   - _Linguists debate how the trigger relates to the subject in these languages._

## Verb

3. To cause something to happen or to bring it about as a result.
   - Simple: To make something start to happen.
   - _The court ruling triggered protests across the country._
   - _An unexpected comment can trigger a chain of events._
5. To spark a reaction in a person, especially a negative emotional one.
   - Simple: To cause a strong feeling, often a bad one, in someone.
   - _The documentary triggered many viewers who had lived through the disaster._
   - _He didn't mean to trigger her with the offhand remark._
8. To fire or discharge a weapon.
   - Simple: To fire a gun or weapon.
   - _The hunter triggered the shotgun the instant the bird rose._
   - _Soldiers are trained never to trigger a weapon carelessly._
9. To activate or switch into an active state.
   - Simple: To switch on or start working.
   - _The backup system triggered automatically during the outage._
   - _These relays trigger when the voltage rises above a set level._

## Noun

14. A catch used to hold a carriage wheel in place on a downward slope. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: A catch that stops a carriage wheel from rolling on a slope.
   - _He fastened the trigger to keep the wagon steady on the descent._
   - _The old coach relied on a trigger to grip the wheel down the hill._

## Origin

Originally spelled 'tricker', it comes from the Dutch noun 'trekker' (a pull, as in a drawer-pull or bell-pull), from the Dutch verb 'trekken' meaning 'to drag, draw, or pull'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/trigger (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).