Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

prime-the-pump

verb phrase

/praɪm ðə pʌmp/

Definition

To take action to stimulate or encourage something, especially in order to make it work more effectively.

Examples

The government decided to prime the pump by investing in infrastructure projects to boost the economy.
To get the club’s membership growing, they hosted a free trial month to prime the pump.

Meaning

This phrase is often used in economic contexts to describe efforts to increase liquidity or encourage investment, but it can also apply to initiating any process that requires external inputs to begin functioning optimally.