pull weight
Carry one's load
To pull weight, usually appearing as pull one's weight, means to contribute a fair share of effort to a collective task.
The image is of draft animals or rowers—if one doesn't pull adequately, others must compensate.
Someone who doesn't pull their weight burdens the group: Half the team isn't pulling their weight.
The phrase nearly always appears in negative contexts, pointing out insufficient contribution.
- carryMove while supporting
- carry the loadAccept the main responsibility
- burdenOppressive weight or duty
- contributeGive to a collective
- fair shareEquitable part owed
shared burden · effort · share · heavy · heavy lifting · lift · load · haul · team · responsibility · muscle · strong arm · strain · drag · deadweight · shoulder · work · leverage
- Hard Workgrind, hustle, toil, effort, labor
- perseverancepersist, never give up, tenacity, hang in there, endurance
- power idiomshold sway, call the shots, power play, upper hand, whip hand
- participationjoin in, take part, membership, attendance, voting