chain of events

plural chains of events

1. A series of occurrences seen as chronologically linked, and generally in which each occurrence is caused by the previous one and in turn causes the next.

   A chain of events was set in motion.

   5 more examples

   to set off / spark / start a chain of events

   It was the Spirit of the Lord that rescued the Jews from the malice of Haman, by a chain of events, which had no cognation one with another, nor any natural suitableness to such an end:

   1660, Edward Reynolds, Divine Efficacy Without Humane Power, pages 33-34

   […] the Historian traces the Series of Actions according to their natural Order, remounts to their secret Springs and Principles, and delineates their most remote Consequences. He chuses for his Subject a certain Portion of that great Chain of Events, which compose the History of Mankind:

   1748, David Hume, Philosophical Essays: Concerning Human Understanding, section 3, page 35

   The true story of the broken marriage engagement comes first in point of time, and must therefore take the first place in the present narrative. Tracing my way back along the chain of events, from one end to the other, I find it necessary to open the scene […]

   1868, Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone, volume 2, page 211

   To others the little adventure must seem trivial, but to myself it represented the climax of a chain of events.

   1916, Hugh Walpole, chapter 7, in The Dark Forest, section 1, page 205