Meaning of pick up the slack | Babel Free

Definitions

1. To tighten something that is slack so that it is taut.
2. To do work that would otherwise be left undone.
3. To provide extra needed resources.
4. To act as a slack variable, converting an inequality into an equality.
5. To consume something that would otherwise go to waste.

Examples

“In such cases even a four-to-one multiplying reel is much too slow to pick⟳ up the slack, and a single-action fly⟳ reel is hopelessly inadequate.”

“To go forward⟳, lightly pick⟳ up the slack in one line to show⟳ the horse or horses which direction you'll be heading.”

“"Reel in! Reel! Reel!" I shouted, though with no one else within a hundred miles; she could have⟳ heard me whisper⟳. You tend⟳ to do that when you are really excited. Pick⟳ up the slack!” Pick⟳ up the slack!"”

“But, to the extent that he remained insecure about his caregiving, particularly in settings outside the safe confines of home, Belinda had to pick⟳ up the slack. And the more she picked up the slack, the more he backed off and deferred to her.”

“When one person on a team is learning a new skill, the rest⟳ of the team can often pick⟳ up the slack and keep⟳ the team on track.”

“Most companies have⟳ budgets, so hiring an extra person to pick⟳ up the slack neither makes sense⟳ nor is an option in most companies.”

“In a distributed system, if one node (or hub) fails, the other nodes simply pick⟳ up the slack and make⟳ sure traffic flows smoothly.”

“In a city financed largely by user fees, government coffers have⟳ little to spare⟳ for subsidies. Voluntary contributions could pick⟳ up the slack.”

“And no wonder⟳ a nanny state increasingly tries to pick⟳ up the slack.”

“It drove my parents crazy and put⟳ pressure on my older brother to pick⟳ up the slack and make⟳ a success out of his life.”

“A “slack adjuster” is something you sell⟳ that gives you a surge of extra profit to help⟳ pick⟳ up the slack.”

“We call⟳ them slack variables because they pick⟳ up the slack, so to speak⟳; that is, they take⟳ on whatever values are necessary to create⟳ equalities (notice⟳ that each slack variable must be nonnegative).”

“If a person couldn't sell⟳ their (choose⟳ one) poetry, play⟳, sculpture, or painting on the open⟳ market, why should the taxpayers pick⟳ up the slack for the poet, artist, or playwright whose talents would be better utilized in, say⟳, a car wash⟳?”

“Two basic options are left if more export buying and more investment purchases won't pick⟳ up the slack when a declining marginal propensity to consume⟳ occurs: either more government spending or more government transfers such as increased Social Security payments to encourage⟳ more consumer spending.”

“When the world economy is in a downturn, developing countries look⟳ to the United States to pick⟳ up the slack and absorb excess supply⟳.”

CEFR level