pick up one's crumbs

verb

To recuperate or recover, such as after an illness or injury.

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Meanings

verbpick up one's crumbs (third-person singular simple present picks up one's crumbs, present participle picking up one's crumbs, simple past and past participle picked up one's crumbs)

present singular third person picks up one's crumbs · participle present picking up one's crumbs · participle past picked up one's crumbs · past picked up one's crumbs

  1. archaicslangTo recuperate or recover, such as after an illness or injury.

    The latter, however, had "picked up his crumbs," was learning his duty, and getting strength and confidence daily; and began to assert his rights against his oppressor.

    1834, Richard Henry Dana, (Please provide the book title or journal name)
Cite this entry
APA

pick up one's crumbs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pick%20up%20one's%20crumbs

MLA

“pick up one's crumbs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pick%20up%20one's%20crumbs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pick up one's crumbs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pick%20up%20one's%20crumbs.

Source: pick up one's crumbs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.