arrow in someone's quiver
- idiom
- Informal
:
recurso adicional
- Learning a new programming language gave her another arrow in her quiver at work.
Examples
-
Having a second language is a valuable arrow in her quiver.
-
Having strong communication skills is an important arrow in your quiver when managing a team.
-
The extra training provided him with an additional arrow in his quiver for handling complex situations.
-
He always keeps an extra arrow in his quiver for tough situations.
-
Having strong communication skills is an important arrow in your quiver when managing a team.
-
Learning a new programming language gave her another arrow in her quiver at work.
-
The extra training provided him with an additional arrow in his quiver for handling complex situations.
Synonyms
336
2.8
A skill or quality someone has that helps them do well
1
8.5
An extra skill someone can use later
A secret advantage someone keeps to use when needed
A helpful idea or tool kept secret to use when needed
Antonyms
How Useful
- Informal
3
7.0
350
4.1
- Informal
770
3.5
3
6.9
∞
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
arrow + in + someone's + quiver
The meaning is a straightforward metaphor built from the literal image of an arrow stored in a quiver: knowing 'arrow', 'in', 'someone's', and 'quiver' lets a learner infer the idea of an available tool or option. However, mapping that image onto 'skill/resource/advantage' requires a metaphorical inference and some cultural/archery background, so the relation is not fully compositional.
Etymology
Arrow in someone's quiver comes from archery: a quiver is the bag that holds spare arrows, so having another arrow in your quiver means you have one more tool ready to use. That's why the phrase now means 'an extra skill or resource' you can use when needed.