The eye sees two lights coming down a dark road; they trigger associations in the brain.
If they are compelling, however, it is not because they are powerful in and of themselves but because the subject matter triggers highly charged associations.
The vicinity of water in the form of two great rivers and a nearby hill often trigger associations with his birthplace in Wales.
He does not want the stone to trigger metaphorical associations.
Recalling the name of the ship triggered associations in Lon's still-expanding mind-universe.
If he kept triggering associations he would end up in the part of Balsam's memory that he wanted.
Words are just a code system to trigger associations already established in the listener's neural system from the experience of living.
In contrast, ballet slippers and kitten-heeled pumps trigger associations with the ladies who lunch.
Gestures trigger associations, and Ms. Brown tries to avoid being locked in to a single meaning.