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Know the ropes

Know the ropes

Meaning

To understand how to do something.

Examples

I’m being supervised by Jim for now, but as soon as I know the ropes I’ll be working on my own.

Where did it originate?

Britain, 19th century. Possibly of nautical origin.

Where is it used?

Worldwide.

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Know the ropes

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