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Glite Dictionary
fillip to

fillip to

1 8.0
A thing that gives a quick boost to an activity or plan
  • idiom
  • UK
translation icon : estímulo para
  • The new marketing strategy gave a much-needed fillip to the product's sales figures.

Examples

  • Her encouragement served as a fillip to his confidence in pursuing the project.

  • Similarly, the recommendation that employers contract OH services only from those providers that have become fully accredited under the Faculty of Occupational Medicine's voluntary Safe Effective Quality Occupational Health Service (SEQOHS) accreditation scheme has given a timely fillip to that initiative.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The recent funding grant provided a significant fillip to the community's arts program.

Synonyms

boost
vsfillip to
153 2.7

An increase in amount or success that helps something

is a triggering agent for an activity rather than a broad measurable increase
stimulation
vsfillip to
28 4.1

Something that makes someone more interested or active

targets actual activity or process rather than mainly interest or enthusiasm
pickup
vsfillip to
  • Informal
4 4.2

Something that gives you a short burst of energy

aims to start or increase an activity or process rather than briefly restoring energy
fillip
vsfillip to
  • UK
1 9.2

A small event that gives a quick boost to energy or interest

is focused on helping an activity or process rather than emotions

Antonyms

obstacle
343 3.4

A thing or problem that makes it hard to reach a goal

hindrance
21 5.7

A thing that makes it difficult to do something, like an injury or traffic

How Stimulating

catalyst
55 5.0
impetus
33 6.7
boost
153 2.7
fillip to
  • UK
1 8.0
to spur
81 4.1
to nudge
24 4.1

Surface Forms

fillip to singular
fillips to plural

Morphology

fillip + to

The noun 'fillip' means 'something that stimulates or boosts' and the preposition 'to' simply marks the recipient or target, so 'a fillip to X' transparently means 'a boost/stimulus to X'. This is a straightforward noun + preposition composition following regular English patterns (comparable to 'boost to' or 'stimulus to'), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would infer the meaning.

Etymology

Fillip to comes from the small snap or 'flick' you make with a finger to give something a quick push. That's why a fillip to a project or idea means a little, sudden 'boost' or encouragement.