ropes

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.

noun

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

verb

1. third-person singular simple present indicative of rope