knock-on effect
nounEtymology knock-on + effect
1
UK A secondary, often unintended effect; a repercussion, chain reaction.
- If a coach arrives late, it has a knock-on effect on the entire coach station.
- There are various knock-on effects [to the international boycott of the Palestinian government]. PA [Palestinian Authority] services, particularly health and education, have deteriorated sharply because of supply shortages and strikes by workers. Much of the time hospitals have been seeing only emergency cases.2007, March 24th, The Economist magazine, page 51
1 more example
- The Crossrail trains were delivered on time, but there was a long software integration period. That had a knock-on effect on the other orders.2020 September 9, Paul Clifton, “SWR unveils £1bn 'Arterios' for the "heart of our network"”, in Rail, page 26:
- Related terms
- idiom, other effects: domino effect, ripple effect, concept, related: Unintended consequence