shore up

Idioms  

1. Support, prop, as in The new law was designed to shore up banks in danger of failure. This expression derives from the noun shore, meaning “prop,” a beam or timber propped against a structure to provide support. The verb shore dates from 1340 and was first recorded in a figurative context in 1581.

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Example Sentences

Some suggested the strikes might shore up support for Iran’s leaders, at least in the short term.

From The Wall Street Journal

Still, enhanced privacy is a VPN’s flagship feature, and these practices don’t exactly shore up user trust.

From Salon

Lanxess meanwhile said it will aim to shore up its bottom line through job cuts this year.

From The Wall Street Journal

GOP-led states are looking to entice new residents with lower taxes, while Democratic-led states seek higher taxes on top earners to shore up budgets and social services.

From The Wall Street Journal

Iran has also suspended the flow of gas to Iraq in response to the attack to shore up domestic supplies, a senior Iraqi official told Reuters.

From BBC

Related Words

• add to
• bolster
• boost
• build up
• buttress
• emphasize
• enlarge
• fortify
• increase
• stress
• support
• underline