Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

trigger

2 verb
     
trigger2 also trigger off [transitive]
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.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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