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know the ropes

know
K k

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [noh]
    • /noʊ stressed ði roʊps/
    • /nəʊ ðə rəʊps/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [noh]
    • /noʊ stressed ði roʊps/

Definitions of know the ropes words

  • verb with object know the ropes to perceive or understand as fact or truth; to apprehend clearly and with certainty: I know the situation fully. 1
  • verb with object know the ropes to have established or fixed in the mind or memory: to know a poem by heart; Do you know the way to the park from here? 1
  • verb with object know the ropes to be cognizant or aware of: I know it. 1
  • verb with object know the ropes be acquainted with (a thing, place, person, etc.), as by sight, experience, or report: to know the mayor. 1
  • verb with object know the ropes to understand from experience or attainment (usually followed by how before an infinitive): to know how to make gingerbread. 1
  • verb with object know the ropes to be able to distinguish, as one from another: to know right from wrong. 1
See all 15 definitions of know the ropes

Information block about the term

Origin of know the ropes

First appearance:

before 900
One of the 4% oldest English words
before 900; Middle English knowen, knawen, Old English gecnāwan; cognate with Old High German -cnāhan, Old Norse knā to know how, be able to; akin to Latin (g)nōvī, Greek gignṓskein. See gnostic, can1

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Know the ropes

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Know the ropes

know the ropes popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

know the ropes usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for know the ropes

verb know the ropes

Just one Synonym for know the ropes

See also

Matching words

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