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déclencher

to trigger, to set off

verb deh-klahn-SHEH Less Common

Also means

to launch, to start

Usage Note

Déclencher is the go-to verb when something activates a mechanism or starts a chain of events: déclencher une alarme, déclencher une crise ('to trigger a crisis'). The noun déclenchement means 'triggering' or 'onset'. In photography, déclencher means to press the shutter release.

Examples

"Ce bruit a déclenché l'alarme."

Natural Translation

That noise triggered the alarm.

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