pump priming

American  

noun

1. the spending of government funds in commercial enterprises, to stimulate the national economy.

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pump priming British  

noun

1. the act or process of introducing fluid into a pump to improve the sealing of the pump parts on starting and to expel air from it

2. government expenditure designed to stimulate economic activity in stagnant or depressed areas

3. another term for deficit financing

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pump priming Cultural  

1. Informally, government spending to increase purchasing power and stimulate the economy.

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Etymology

Origin of pump priming

An Americanism dating back to 1935–40

Example Sentences

Going forward, government efforts to restart the economy will have to mature from simply handing out money to targeting specific sectors that require pump priming.

From Washington Times

While a second round of pump priming is being prepared, senior ministers on Tuesday warned the extra spending will not be enough to avoid widespread job losses stemming from the Covid-19 health crisis.

From The Guardian

The pump priming worked well enough to attract a wide range of people to the neighborhood, Leinberger said.

From Los Angeles Times

A Nexis search shows the phrase “pump priming” or its variants appeared in 1,073 news articles in major publications in 2009 alone, and they are almost all referring to economics, not water pumps.

From New York Times

Then the phrase “prime the pump” or “pump priming” should be in your memory.

From Salon

Related Words

• budget deficit