show the ropes

verb

To teach the basics of a skill.

“Bill showed the ropes to the new guy.”

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Meanings

verbshow the ropes (third-person singular simple present shows the ropes, present participle showing the ropes, simple past showed the ropes, past participle shown the ropes)

present singular third person shows the ropes · participle present showing the ropes · past showed the ropes · participle past shown the ropes

  1. informalintransitivetransitiveTo teach the basics of a skill.

    Bill showed the ropes to the new guy.

    3 more examples

    When I got there, Bill showed me the ropes

    One nice boy, whom I leave behind to show the ropes, is scandalously killed by one of their sentries.

    1930, Frank Percy Crozier, A Brass Hat in No Man's Land, J. Cape & H. Smith, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 87

    Mr. Danzinger sent other roomers for Fonville to show the ropes.

    2011, Cruise of the Pintail, page 123

Origin

See learn the ropes.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

show the ropes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20the%20ropes

MLA

“show the ropes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20the%20ropes. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “show the ropes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show%20the%20ropes.

Source: show the ropes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.