pick up the pieces

pick up the pieces

English

Verb

pick up the pieces

1. (idiomatic, intransitive) To restore one's life (or a given situation etc.) to a normal state, after a calamity, shock etc.
   • 1957, "Roberts' Rules of Order", Time, 14 Jan 1957:

     Picking up the pieces after the Suez disaster, the British found themselves getting used to the idea that they are not as big a power as they thought they were.

   • 2011, Randeep Ramesh, The Guardian, 3 Feb 2011:

     "Cutting administrators is a huge mistake, and will only mean other staff such as nurses have to pick up the pieces."