Dictionary Definition

trigger

1 lever that activates the firing mechanism of a gun [syn: gun trigger]

2 a device that activates or releases or causes something to happen

3 an act that sets in motion some course of events [syn: induction, initiation]

1 put in motion or move to act; "trigger a reaction"; "actuate the circuits" [syn: trip, actuate, activate, set off, spark off, spark, trigger off, touch off]

2 release or pull the trigger on; "Trigger a gun"

User Contributed Dictionary

Originally tricker, from etyl nl trekker, from trekken.

A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun.
A similar device used to activate any mechanism.
An event that initiates others, or incites a response.
A pulse in an electronic circuit that initiates some component.
An SQL procedure that may be initiated when a record is inserted, updated or deleted; typically used to maintain referential integrity.

Trigger may refer to:

Trigger (firearms), a mechanism that actuates the firing of firearms
Trigger pad, a device used in electronic percussion
Image trigger, a device used in highspeed cameras
Schmitt trigger, an electronic circuit
USS Trigger (SS-237), a submarine
USS Trigger (SS-564), a submarine
Trauma trigger, an event causing traumatic memories or feelings to resurface.
Bruce Trigger, archeologist
Trigger (horse), owned by cowboy star Roy Rogers.
Trigger (guitar), the Martin N-20 guitar played by Willie Nelson.
Trigger (Only Fools and Horses), a fictional character from the BBC sit-com Only Fools and Horses
Trigger, a fictional horse in Ernie (the Fastest Milkman in the West)
A Casus Belli, an event triggering a war
TRIGGER, development of a pea starch film with trigger biodegradation properties for agricultural applications

In computing:

Trigger function in event-driven programming
Database trigger, procedural code that is automatically executed in response to certain events on a particular table in a database
Trigger circuit, IBM's name for a flip-flop.

In physics:

Trigger (particle physics), hardware or software based device for the (online-)selection of specific event classes from large datasets (see also: ATLAS trigger system)

In music: