Welcome to English in a Minute.
Slack describes the part of a rope that's not tight and hangs loosely.
But why would someone need to pick up the slack?
Okay, how many scripts do we have for the new program?
Let's see, I count two.
Two? But Martha promised she would write ten.
Oh, well, we're going to have to pick up the slack.
Because she's only written two. Martha!
To pick up the slack means to do something that someone else should be doing but isn't.
If you have ever been on a team or worked in an office,
you know that one person not doing their part can have a bad effect on others.
And that's English in a Minute.
And that's English in a Minute.