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Glite Dictionary
to light the blue touchpaper

to light the blue touchpaper

9.6
To start something that quickly becomes exciting or causes strong debate
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : encender la mecha
  • Whenever she voices her opinions in that meeting, she lights the blue touchpaper for lively debate.

Examples

  • The CEO's daring proposal lit the blue touchpaper for innovation across the industry.

  • The politician's speech will light the blue touchpaper for the upcoming debate.

  • It's time to light the blue touchpaper and announce the new policy to the team.

  • Don't light the blue touchpaper too soon!

  • The announcement about the controversial project will light the blue touchpaper for discussions in the media.

  • His unexpected statement lit the blue touchpaper for heated arguments during the meeting.

  • The new evidence could light the blue touchpaper for further investigation into the case.

Synonyms

to spark
vsto light the blue touchpaper
154 3.4

To cause something to start, often an idea or strong feeling

usually starts events that then grow quickly into an exciting or controversial situation
to touch off
vsto light the blue touchpaper
  • US
15 7.4

Make an event or strong reaction start suddenly

is used for events that begin and then develop quickly into excitement or controversy

Antonyms

to halt
206 2.4

To stop moving or make something stop moving

to douse
20 5.1

To stop a fire or light from burning

How Dramatic

to incite
  • NSFW
72 7.7
to inflame
31 5.8
to light the blue touchpaper
  • UK
9.6
to set off
131 3.1
spark
91 3.2
to start
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

light the blue touchpaper infinitive
lighting the blue touchpaper present participle
lights the blue touchpaper third person singular
lit the blue touchpaper past
lit the blue touchpaper past participle

Morphology

light + the + blue + touchpaper

The meaning is partly derivable from the literal image: 'light' (set on fire) + 'touchpaper' (paper used to ignite fireworks) yields the metaphor of triggering a rapid, explosive chain reaction, so the core idea of 'cause something to start quickly' can be inferred. However, 'touchpaper' is a culture-specific, somewhat technical term and the adjective 'blue' is largely stylistic, so the precise idiomatic nuance is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure.

Etymology

The expression light the blue touchpaper comes from fireworks. You light a long blue strip called the blue touchpaper, and when it burns down it makes the firework go off quickly, so the phrase now means 'to start something that will quickly become exciting or cause a strong reaction'.