touch off

touch off
verb
put in motion or move to act (Freq. 3)
-

trigger a reaction

-

actuate the circuits

• Syn:
↑trip, ↑actuate, ↑trigger, ↑activate, ↑set off, ↑spark off, ↑spark, ↑trigger off
• Derivationally related forms:
↑spark (for: ↑spark), ↑activation (for: ↑activate), ↑trigger (for: ↑trigger), ↑actuator (for: ↑actuate), ↑act (for: ↑actuate), ↑actuation (for: ↑actuate), ↑trip (for: ↑trip), ↑tripper (for: ↑trip)
• Hypernyms: ↑initiate, ↑pioneer
• Cause:
↑happen, ↑hap, ↑go on, ↑pass off, ↑occur, ↑pass, ↑fall out, ↑come about, ↑take place
• Verb Frames:
-

Somebody ——s something

-

Something ——s something

* * *

transitive verb
1. : to describe or characterize to a nicety : hit off

a fine job of touching off the shallowness and confusion of his interloper role — Newsweek

2. [touch (as in touchhole)]
a. : to cause to explode by or as if by touching with fire
b. : to release or initiate with the sudden violence of an explosion

the charges touched off a storm of protest — R.A.Billington

3. : to start (a relay runner) by touching his extended hand

* * *

touch off
To trigger, to cause to begin (also figurative)
• • •
Main Entry: ↑touch

* * *

ˌtouch ˈoff [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they touch off he/she/it touches off present participle touching off past tense touched off past participle touched off] phrasal verb
to make something unpleasant or dangerous happen

The raid touched off angry protests.

Thesaurus: to make something bad exist or happensynonym
Main entry: touch

* * *

touch off [phrasal verb]
touch off (something) or touch (something) off : to cause (something) to start suddenly

What touched off the fire?

The judge's verdict touched off riots throughout the city.

• • •
Main Entry: ↑touch

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Synonyms:
, , , / ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • touch off — (something) to cause something violent or destructive to start. Plans for a new homeless shelter touched off a storm of protest. Windblown wires touched off the blaze. There was a dramatic fall in stock prices, and no one is sure what touched it… …   New idioms dictionary

  • touch off — ► touch off 1) cause (something) to ignite or explode by touching it with a match. 2) cause to happen suddenly. Main Entry: ↑touch …   English terms dictionary

  • touch off — index launch (initiate) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • touch off — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms touch off : present tense I/you/we/they touch off he/she/it touches off present participle touching off past tense touched off past participle touched off to make something unpleasant or dangerous happen The… …   English dictionary

  • touch off — PHRASAL VERB If something touches off a situation or series of events, it causes it to start happening. [V P n (not pron)] Is the massacre likely to touch off a new round of violence? [Also V n P] …   English dictionary

  • touch-off — ˈ ̷ ̷ˌ ̷ ̷ noun ( s) Etymology: touch off : something that is touched off; specifically : a fire of incendiary origin …   Useful english dictionary

  • touch off — verb To start; to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed. Be cautious talking about religion or politics, lest you touch off an argument …   Wiktionary

  • touch off something — touch off (something) to cause something violent or destructive to start. Plans for a new homeless shelter touched off a storm of protest. Windblown wires touched off the blaze. There was a dramatic fall in stock prices, and no one is sure what… …   New idioms dictionary

  • touch off — I (Roget s IV) v. 1. [To cause to explode] Syn. detonate, light the fuse, light, set off; see explode 1 . 2. [To cause to start] Syn. start, initiate, release; see begin 1 , cause 2 . II (Roget s Thesaurus II) I verb 1. To release or cause to… …   English dictionary for students

  • touch off — {v.} 1. To cause to fire or explode by lighting the priming or the fuse. * /The boy touched off a firecracker./ Compare: SET OFF. 2. To start something as if by lighting a fuse. * /The coach s resignation touched off a quarrel./ Compare: SET OFF …   Dictionary of American idioms

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