instigate
IN-stih-gaytverbMeaning to start something, especially trouble; to bring it about
Memory hook IN-STIG-ATE: in an INSTANT, it STARTS. Dev throws the very first snowball, and in an instant everyone is throwing. He instigates the snowball fight.
Dev instigated the snowball fight by tossing the first one at his sister.
In context Nobody knew who had instigated the prank, but someone had started it: every chair in the classroom had been turned to face the back wall.
Similar start, initiate, begin, set off
Opposite stop, end, halt
From Latin instigare, “to urge on, to goad.”