the ropes
plural noun
1
: the special way things are done at a particular place or in a particular activity
The veteran cop showed the rookie the ropes.
It will take a few weeks for new employees to learn the ropes.
someone who knows the ropes
2
: a fence made of rope that encloses a boxing or wrestling ring
The boxer was pushed back against the ropes.
Examples of the ropes in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Every member of Loire Valley Lodges' impressive team doubles up as a forest guide, ready to show you the ropes – and routes – to help navigate your stay.
—
Julia O'Driscoll, The Week Uk, theweek, 21 Apr. 2024
Parts of the ropes were tangled in trees, looped around branches and underwater — all sorts of things that added to the challenge of following the ropes and bringing the case attached to them back to land.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
While last week gave us a taste of warmer temperatures on the horizon, this week is putting us on the ropes with cold temperatures and even a special appearance by snow flurries.
—Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 18 Mar. 2024
Yet if Washington deals with the custodians of the Islamic Republic, critics at home and abroad will admonish the United States for rescuing a regime seen to be on the ropes.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2023
The Timberwolves shot just 39 percent from the field over the final two frames Friday — a near replica of their second half offensive ineptitude in Game 1 two days earlier — and now Minnesota heads to Dallas firmly on the ropes.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 May 2024
The streak had its arms draped over the ropes, its head dipped back.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2024
Watching Santosh learn the ropes of her local police station is amusing at first, but Goswami sells its increasing complications through silent reaction shots as her character becomes slowly absorbed by this power structure, its in-group language, its secrets and its casual corruption.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 May 2024
Santillan was the more aggressive fighter from the opening bell, consistently getting in close to take the smaller Norman’s left jab away and using shoulders, head and elbows to back Norman into the corners and onto the ropes.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024
Julia O'Driscoll, The Week Uk, theweek, 21 Apr. 2024
Parts of the ropes were tangled in trees, looped around branches and underwater — all sorts of things that added to the challenge of following the ropes and bringing the case attached to them back to land.
—Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
While last week gave us a taste of warmer temperatures on the horizon, this week is putting us on the ropes with cold temperatures and even a special appearance by snow flurries.
—Miriam Marini, Detroit Free Press, 18 Mar. 2024
Yet if Washington deals with the custodians of the Islamic Republic, critics at home and abroad will admonish the United States for rescuing a regime seen to be on the ropes.
—Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 2 Feb. 2023
The Timberwolves shot just 39 percent from the field over the final two frames Friday — a near replica of their second half offensive ineptitude in Game 1 two days earlier — and now Minnesota heads to Dallas firmly on the ropes.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 24 May 2024
The streak had its arms draped over the ropes, its head dipped back.
—Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2024
Watching Santosh learn the ropes of her local police station is amusing at first, but Goswami sells its increasing complications through silent reaction shots as her character becomes slowly absorbed by this power structure, its in-group language, its secrets and its casual corruption.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 20 May 2024
Santillan was the more aggressive fighter from the opening bell, consistently getting in close to take the smaller Norman’s left jab away and using shoulders, head and elbows to back Norman into the corners and onto the ropes.
—Ivan Carter, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the ropes.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near the ropes
Cite this Entry
“The ropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20ropes. Accessed 17 Jun. 2024.
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