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on the ropes

phrase

: in a defensive and often helpless position

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on the rocks
on the ropes
on the run
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“On the ropes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/on%20the%20ropes. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.

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Last Updated: - Definition revised
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