acionar

Senses

1. 1.

   to activate, to turn on

   to make a device or mechanism start working

2. 2.

   to trigger, to set off

   to cause something to start or happen (alarm, process, etc.)

3. 3.

   to sue, to take legal action against

   to initiate a lawsuit or legal proceedings against someone

Examples

• "Você precisa acionar o botão vermelho para ligar a máquina."

  You need to press the red button to turn on the machine.

• "O alarme foi acionado quando o ladrão entrou na loja."

  The alarm was triggered when the thief entered the store.

• "A empresa decidiu acionar o fornecedor por quebra de contrato."

  The company decided to sue the supplier for breach of contract.

Usage

Common in technical and legal contexts. Frequently collocates with 'alarme' (alarm), 'sistema' (system), 'mecanismo' (mechanism), and 'na justiça' (in court). In everyday speech, 'ligar' is often preferred for simple devices.