rope

noun

• 1a length of strong cord made by twisting together strands of natural fibers such as hemp or artificial fibers such as polypropylene.
• a lasso.
• (the rope) used in reference to execution by hanging:executions by the rope continued well into the twentieth century
• (the ropes) the ropes enclosing a boxing or wrestling ring.

• 2a quantity of roughly spherical objects such as onions or pearls strung together:a rope of pearls

• 3 (the ropes) informal the established procedures in an organization or area of activity:I want you to show her the ropes new boys were expected to learn the ropes from the old hands

  [ mid 19th century: with reference to ropes used in sailing]

verb

• catch, fasten, or secure with rope:the calves must be roped and led out of the stockade the climbers were all roped together
• (rope someone in/into) persuade someone to take part in (an activity):anyone who could play an instrument or sing in tune was roped in
• (rope something off) enclose or separate an area with a rope or tape:police roped off the area of the find
• [no object] Climbing (of a party of climbers) connect each other together with a rope:we stopped at the foot of the Cavales Ridge and roped up
• [no object] (rope down/up) Climbing climb down or up using a rope:the party had been roping down a hanging glacier