From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishplug the gapplug the gapSOLVE/DEAL WITH A PROBLEMto provide something that is needed, because there is not enough With so few trained doctors, paramedics were brought in to plug the gap. → plug
Examples from the Corpus
plug the gap• Creches, Back to Nursing courses and Nurse Banks emerged as a means of plugging the gap.• Insurance companies aim to plug the gap.• The remaining people would become overburdened trying to plug the gaps.• He hopes that I may be able, in some way, to plug the gap in his family history.• The mayor wants to raise property taxes to plug the gap in the budget.• They are meant to plug the gaps in the trade embargo that has been in force for almost a year.• A lack of adequate reserves means the company will have to plug the gap using other resources. 