What does "pick up" mean in this context?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
"Pick up" in a literal, physical sense means that someone takes an object into their hands. When the expression is applied metaphorically to a topic or action (this context uses it for actions), it means to begin interacting with that topic or performing that action. To "pick up" where one "left off" is a common expression that means to begin doing something again from the point of progress where it was stopped in the past. Please see my answer to your other question for what "left off" means. While "pick up" can be used outside of this expression in a similar way, it is less commonly used than "take up" for the same meaning and only when ALSO relating to the object of that topic. There are several other meanings for the phrase "pick up", but that's beyond the scope of the question. Ex: I picked up guitar recently. Ex: I wonder if I should pick up any new hobbies now that I have a lot of free time.
