hair-trigger

A hunter carefully adjusts the hair-trigger on his rifle.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A very sensitive trigger: "hair-trigger" refers to a trigger on a firearm that is set to release the firing mechanism with minimal pressure. It is designed for quick response.
2. Adjective:
   • Easily provoked or activated: "hair-trigger" describes something that is extremely sensitive or quick to react, often in a volatile or unpredictable way.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The rifle was equipped with a hair-trigger, allowing the shooter to fire with a light touch. (A trigger that requires very little force to operate.)

• Adjective:

  • He has a hair-trigger temper, getting angry at the slightest criticism. (His anger is easily and quickly aroused.)
  • The situation was on a hair-trigger, ready to explode into violence at any moment. (The situation was extremely tense and unstable.)

Advanced Usage

• "hair-trigger reaction": an immediate or exaggerated response to a minor stimulus.

  • The dog's hair-trigger reaction to loud noises made it difficult to take outside. (The dog responded instantly and nervously to any sudden sound.)

• "hair-trigger balance": a state of equilibrium that is easily disturbed.

  • The ecosystem was in a hair-trigger balance, vulnerable to even small changes. (A delicate and precarious equilibrium.)

Variants and Related Words

• Hair-triggered (adj): having a hair-trigger; extremely sensitive.

  • The hair-triggered mechanism of the trap snapped shut at the slightest movement. (The trap was set with a very sensitive release.)

• Trigger (n): a device that releases a spring or catch, especially on a firearm.

  • He pulled the trigger, and the gun fired. (The part of the gun that causes it to shoot.)

Synonyms

• Sensitive: quick to detect or respond to slight changes.
• Volatile: liable to change rapidly and unpredictably, especially for the worse.
• Reactive: showing a response to a stimulus.
• Touchy: easily upset or irritated.

Related Idioms

• On a hair-trigger: in a state of extreme readiness or sensitivity.

  • The guards were on a hair-trigger, ready to respond to any threat. (They were alert and prepared for immediate action.)

• Hair-trigger temper: a tendency to become angry very quickly.

  • Her hair-trigger temper made her difficult to work with. (She gets angry easily and without much cause.)