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pull one's weight

pull one's weight idiom

Also, pull one's own weight. Do one's share, as in We have a small organization, so we all must pull our own weight. This term comes from rowing, where each crew member must pull on an oar at least enough to propel himself or herself. Its figurative use dates from about 1900.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.