know the ropes


Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
Related to know the ropes: learn the ropes

know the ropes

To know how to do something properly; from novice crew members on sailing ships having to learn what all the ropes were for and how to handle them.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
Translations
kende fiduserne
vera öllum hnútum kunnugur
bir işi çok iyi bilmek

know

(nəu) past tense knew (njuː) : past participle known verb
1. to be aware of or to have been informed about. He knows everything; I know he is at home because his car is in the drive; He knows all about it; I know of no reason why you cannot go.
2. to have learned and to remember. He knows a lot of poetry.
3. to be aware of the identity of; to be friendly with. I know Mrs Smith – she lives near me.
4. to (be able to) recognize or identify. You would hardly know her now – she has become very thin; He knows a good car when he sees one.
ˈknowing adjective
showing secret understanding. She gave him a knowing look.
ˈknowingly adverb
1. in a knowing manner. She smiled knowingly.
2. deliberately or on purpose. He would not knowingly insult her.
ˈknow-all noun
an unkind name for a person who thinks he knows everything.
ˈknow-how noun
the practical knowledge and skill to deal with something. She has acquired a lot of know-how about cars.
in the know
having information possessed only by a small group of people. People in the know tell me that she is the most likely person to get the job.
know backwards
to know extremely well or perfectly. He knows his history backwards.
know better
to be too wise or well-taught (to do something). She should know better at her age!; He should have known better than to trust them.
know how to
to have learned the way to. She already knew how to read when she went to school.
know the ropes
to understand the detail and procedure of a job etc.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in periodicals archive ?
"I'd like to keep, if possible, the people who are here who know the ropes," he said.
Any crew member who did not "know the ropes" or could not work aloft was of little use.
So the Queen decided to include the royals' girlfriends to royal events so they'll know the ropes and the people involved.
Surely she needs to know the ropes? There must be a minefield of things she needs to learn before she heads off on state visits, walkabouts etc.
Veteran teachers keep us balanced because they "know the ropes," and their experience and expertise is invaluable when it comes to knowing what works best.
We recognise that arriving at the conference as a newly-elected LOC officer can seem quite daunting, especially when everyone around you appears to know the ropes and they seem to be meeting up with old friends and established networks.
Our graduates are our best advocates because they know the ropes, and they can speak firsthand to how the courses have helped them succeed in their careers."
If there are signs of improvement before May then he deserves a chance but Garde has yet to win a game and the Championship is a brutal division if you don't know the ropes.
The |new intake get to know the ropes at Woodlands Academy
"Marketers who know the ropes understand you can't steer clear of the do not call rules by tacking a political or survey call onto a sales pitch," said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
You'd think having gone through this wedding malarkey five times already, loved-up Gail would know the ropes, so what's with the delay?

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