touch off
English
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touch off
verb touches off · touching off · touched off
- To start (something); to set off traps; especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed. Be cautious talking about religion or politics, lest you touch off an argument.
- To cause a fire to start. A spark touched off the conflagration.
- To establish a reference coordinate or datum, by moving the tool head to just touch the workpiece or machine bed. A traditional method of touching off uses a piece of thin paper placed between the tool and workpiece.
Translations
Every language
verb to cause, especially used for unstable situations that may magnify if disturbed
| Español | desencadenar |
|---|---|
| Português | desencadear |
| Français | déclencher |
| Deutsch | auslösen |
Talk about this word "touch off." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/touch%20off. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. touch off. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/touch%20off "touch off." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/touch%20off.
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@misc{touch_off_2026,
title = {touch off},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/touch%20off},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
