touch off

phrasal-verb
UK: /ˌtʌtʃ ˈɒf/
US: /ˌtʌtʃ ˈɔːf/

  1. To cause something to start, especially something dangerous or violent.

    1. The kids touched off the fireworks.
    2. His careless remark touched off a heated argument between them.

  2. To ignite or detonate something.

    1. He will touch off the bomb.
    2. The lightning touched off a series of wildfires across the state.

Synonyms

trigger initiate start spark begin ignite provoke
touch off transitive-verb

  1. To initiate an activity or event, often unexpectedly.

    1. They can touch off the race now.
    2. The announcement touched off a wave of excitement among the employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "touch off" in English means: To cause something to start, especially something dangerous or violent., To ignite or detonate something..

The phonetic transcription of "touch off" is /ˌtʌtʃ ˈɒf/ in British English and /ˌtʌtʃ ˈɔːf/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "touch off": trigger, initiate, start, spark, begin, ignite, provoke.

Example usage of "touch off": "The kids touched off the fireworks.". More examples on the page.