ac ‧ tiv ‧ ate /ˈæktəveɪt, ˈæktɪveɪt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive] technical
to make an electrical system or chemical process start working OPP deactivate :
Cooking fumes may activate the alarm.
The yeast’s growth is activated by sugar and warmth.
—activation /ˌæktəˈveɪʃ ə n, ˌæktɪˈveɪʃ ə n/ noun [uncountable]
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In everyday English, people usually use set off rather than activate when talking about electrical systems:
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Someone has set off the smoke alarm again.