touch off

verb

Definition of touch off

transitive verb

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

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Examples of touch off in a Sentence

his obscene comment touched off a heated debate about the need for censorship on live broadcasts

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Dictionary Entries near touch off

touch-me-not-ish

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Time Traveler for touch off

The first known use of touch off was in 1694

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