touch something ↔ off phrasal verb (see also touch)
to cause a difficult situation or violent events to begin:
It was these national rivalries that eventually touched off the First World War.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

touch off
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 off.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of touch off (= to cause an old-fashioned gun to fire)

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

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 touched it off.

Etymology: based on the literal meaning of touch off (= to cause an old-fashioned gun to fire)

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

touch off
1. • touch off (someone)
to make someone very angry
I touched off my friend when I said something that she did not like.

2. • touch off (something)
1). to cause something to fire or explode by lighting the fuse
The fire at the oil refinery touched off an explosion that destroyed many tanks.

2). to start something
The arrest of the labor leader touched off a riot among the workers.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

touch off something
• touch off (something)
1. to cause something to fire or explode by lighting the fuse
The fire at the oil refinery touched off an explosion that destroyed many tanks.

2. to start something
The arrest of the labor leader touched off a riot among the workers.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲

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.

[TahlilGaran] English Idioms Dictionary ▲