Pick Up the Slack.
English
idiom
To do the work someone else has left undone.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To do the work someone else has left undone.
Trusted by1.5M+English learners & teachers worldwide
To take on work that someone else has left undone.
When you pick up the slack, you cover a gap left by absence, understaffing or someone not doing their share.
It usually carries either gratitude toward the person covering or criticism of the gap.
"Pull Your Weight"
—
Do your own fair share, nothing extra
"Step Up"
—
Take on more responsibility by choice
"Pick Up the Slack"
—
Cover work someone else didn't do
I've been picking up the slack since March and it's starting to show.
Understood. Let's take two things off your plate today, not next month.
I know I've been useless around the house since the new job started.
I've picked up the slack happily, but I'd like a plan for when it ends.
How did the event still run with the organizer sick?
Two volunteers picked up the slack and nobody in the audience noticed.
