Pull the Trigger
I Bought a new Camera
Well, I pulled the trigger today. I got some help from a co-worker and bought a new camera. It will big a big jump up in quality. But it is really just the first part. I will still need to buy good lenses and some accessories to get the best use out of it. However, I might have to wait for that. It is all really expensive.
Meaning
Pulling the trigger means to commit to a course of action. It refers to someone deciding to do something. In my case, I committed to buying an expensive camera. It is appropriate to use this phrase if someone has been thinking about doing something for a while and finally commits to it. There is a feeling that the person is hesitant or has put a lot of thought into the decision.
Example: She has been talking about quitting her job and moving to New York. Today, she finally pulled the trigger and bought a ticket.
Origin
Pulling the trigger is an allusion to firing a gun. When you pull the trigger on a gun, the gun will fire. You have committed to shooting the gun and there is no way to stop it. That is essentially what this phrase means. You are committed to a certain course of action.
An interesting side note is that “trigger” comes from the Dutch word, trekker. It used to be called a tricker in the 17th century. Trekker (Dutch) means to pull. So, pulling the trigger essentially means pulling the pull. It is redundant.
See Also: The writing is on the wall, Isaac Brock, Riding shotgun
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