What does ‘a shot in the arm’ mean?
To “a shot in the arm” means to a boost or encouragement. A 20th-century idiom from medical injections; not in Brewer's 1898.
Origin
- A 20th-century idiom from medical injections; not in Brewer's 1898.
How to use it
- Used of anything that revives interest or morale.
- Example: The new hire was a shot in the arm for the team.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.