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doing badly and likely to fail: I think the business is finally on the ropes. Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples. not achieving wealth, popularity, or success. unsuccessful He tried for years to get his work published before accepting he was a commercially unsuccessful writer. failed She was a failed singer.
1. In boxing, pinned against the ropes enclosing the boxing ring by one's opponent (a vulnerable position). The famed boxer was very boastful ahead of the exhibition match, but he spent nearly the whole fight on the ropes. 2. By extension, close to defeat or ruin.
If someone is “on the ropes,” it means they are in a desperate or difficult situation. In other words, they are having a tough time. Example: I’ve been sick all week. My main symptoms are coughing, a runny nose, and my appetite is low. I guess you could say that my health has been on the ropes lately, but I am finally starting to feel ...
If you say that someone is on the ropes, you mean that they are very near to giving up or being defeated. The army claims the rebels are on the ropes. See full dictionary entry for rope
On the verge of defeat or collapse, helpless, as in They acknowledged that their campaign was on the ropes, and they could not possibly win the election . This expression, alluding to a boxer forced back to the ropes of the ring and leaning against them for support, has been used figuratively since the mid-1900s.
When we hear someone say that they are “on the ropes,” it usually means that they are in a difficult situation and struggling to stay afloat. This idiom is often used to describe individuals or groups who are facing challenges or obstacles that seem insurmountable.
When used to regarding boxing matches, on the ropes refers to a fighter who has been forced back against the ropes by his opponent and is leaning on them for support, making it difficult to defend himself.
Meaning of the phrase: -in a difficult situation or close to defeat. · I thought I was winning the argument, but then my mom brought out the "I brought you into this world, I can take you out" card and I was on the ropes.
To be on the brink of collapse or ruin. The term comes from boxing, where a fighter who is on the ropes surrounding the ring is in a defenseless position, often leaning against them to keep from falling. It began to be transferred to other catastrophic situations about 1960.
a. : a large stout cord of strands of fibers or wire twisted or braided together. b. : a long slender strip of material used as rope. rawhide rope. c. : a hangman's noose. d. : lariat.
