ropes

See also: Ropes

English

Etymology

In the sense of skills, a now figurative use that originally referred to literal ropes. The phrase “he knows the ropes” written on a seaman’s discharge meant that he was inexperienced and only familiar with a ship’s principal ropes.^[1]

Pronunciation

(General American) IPA^(key): /ɹoʊps/
(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɹəʊps/
Rhymes: -əʊps
Audio (US): (file)

Noun

ropes

plural of rope
(in the plural, with the) Basic skills of a job.
show the ropes, learn the ropes

Derived terms

Verb

ropes

third-person singular simple present indicative of rope

References

^ William L. Brackin (July 1991) “Military Courtesy”, in Naval Orientation (NAVEDTRA; 12966), Washington, D.C.: Naval Education and Training Program Management Support Activity; United States Government Printing Office, →OCLC, pages 7-19.

Anagrams

Prose, S'pore, reops, Soper, ERPOs, spore, Poers, Spero, Perso-, soper, Peros, preso, prose, OPers., poser, pores, Poser, repos, opers, pro se

Asturian

Noun

ropes

plural of ropa

Lithuanian

Noun

rópes

accusative plural of rópė (“turnip”)

Middle English

Noun

ropes

plural of rop (“rope”)

[1] William L. Brackin (July 1991) “Military Courtesy”, in Naval Orientation (NAVEDTRA; 12966), Washington, D.C.: Naval Education and Training Program Management Support Activity; United States Government Printing Office, →OCLC, pages 7-19.

[1]