Etymology Journal ยท K
Know the ropes
Meaning
- To understand the procedures, rules, or inner workings of a specific task or organization. It means you are experienced and know what you are doing.
Professional, capable
Used in a sentence
- Give him a few weeks to learn the ropes of the office.
- She has been here long enough to know the ropes, so just ask her for help.
- It takes time to learn the ropes in a new city.
The backstory
This comes from the age of sailing ships. A sailor had to learn how to handle all the complex ropes to manage the sails, meaning a novice was useless until they knew the ropes.
Heard in
Nationwide
Vibe check