rope

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: a large stout cord of strands of fibers or wire twisted or braided together
b
: a long slender strip of material used as rope
rawhide rope
c
: a hangman's noose
d
: lariat
2
: a row or string consisting of things united by or as if by braiding, twining, or threading
3
ropes plural : special or basic techniques or procedures
show him the ropes
4
ropelike adjective

rope

2 of 2

verb

roped; roping

transitive verb

1
a
: to bind, fasten, or tie with a rope or cord
b
: to partition, separate, or divide by a rope
rope off the street
c
: lasso
2
: to draw as if with a rope : lure

intransitive verb

: to take the form of or twist in the manner of rope
roper noun
Phrases
on the ropes
: in a defensive and often helpless position

Examples of rope in a Sentence

Noun Tie the end of the rope to the post. She made a knot in the rope. a six-foot length of rope We used rope to tie down the furniture in the trailer. The hostages were tied up with rope. 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 Verb The dog was roped to the fence. The boats were roped together at the dock. Mountain climbers often rope themselves together for safety. He tried to rope the calf.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Phelan prefers the old-fashioned approach using ropes, slings, pulleys and a bosun's chair – initially just a short wooden plank held up by ropes, now more elaborate and safer work seats. Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024 In her soulful paintings of New York City’s skyscrapers, Diamond used loose ropes of color that land somewhere between abstraction and figuration. Grace Edquist, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
John Dutton has roped his last steer, guzzled his last cup of Taylor Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch coffee, gone off to that big pasture in the sky. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024 Then, the man who carried the Yankees’ offense in Game 3, Giancarlo Stanton, once again came up clutch with an RBI single that scored Aaron Judge, who finally roped a baseball this postseason. Scott Thompson, Fox News, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rope 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English rāp; akin to Old High German reif hoop

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of rope was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near rope

Cite this Entry

“Rope.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rope. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rope

1 of 2 noun
1
a
: a large stout cord of strands (as of fiber or wire) twisted or braided together
b
: lariat
c
: a noose used for hanging
2
: a row or string (as of beads) made by or as if by braiding, twining, or threading
3
plural : the special way things are done (as on a job)
learn the ropes

rope

2 of 2 verb
roped; roping
1
a
: to bind, fasten, or tie with a rope
b
: to set off or divide by a rope
rope off a street for a neighborhood carnival
c
: to catch with a lasso
2
: to draw as if with a rope
roped her friends into helping with the project
roper noun

More from Merriam-Webster on rope

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