touched off; touching off; touches off
Definition of touch off
1a
: to provoke or initiate with sudden intensity
the verdict touched off local riots
b
: to cause to explode by or as if by touching with fire
2
: to describe or characterize with precision
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Learn More about touch off
Dictionary Entries near touch off
See More Nearby EntriesStatistics for touch off
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Touch off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/touch%20off. Accessed 16 May. 2021.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Comments on touch off
What made you want to look up touch off? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Words Used by Nabokov Quiz
-
- Choose the best definition or synonym for the word in bold: "There are some eructations that sound like cheers—at least, mine did." Lolita
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share touch off
Time Traveler for touch off
The first known use of touch off was in 1694
See more words from the same year