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- pick up the slack
pick up the slack
pick up the slack
also take up the slack to do something when someone else cannot or will not do it With our best player injured, other players picked up the slack. Who will take up the slack when our grant money runs out?
pick/take up the slack
(American & Australian informal) to do the work which someone else has stopped doing, but which still needs to be done When Sue starts going out to work each day, Bob and the kids will have to take up the slack and help more at home.
See cut some slack