English

Alternative forms

• pick up what someone is laying down

Verb

pick up what someone is putting down

1. (idiomatic) To understand, pay attention to, or learn from what someone says or does.
   • 2004 Nov. 2, Melanie McFarland, "TV anchors keep to their word," Seattle Post-Intelligencer (retrieved 24 May 2014):

     Moran, picking up what Jennings is putting down, agrees.

   • 2008, Joseph C. Phillips, He Talk Like a White Boy, ISBN 0786744057, 9780786744053, p. 278 (Google preview):

     If we are serious about putting the party of Lincoln back on track, we had better begin to pick up what black folk are putting down.

   • 2011 July 6, J. Maureen Henderson, "Lessons From The World's Best Coworker," Forbes (retrieved 24 May 2014):

     I will tell you about these things . . . because I like you and I think you’d be interested in picking up what I’m putting down.