ROPES

[plural] [noun]The ropes are a fence made of rope enclosing esp. a boxing ringThe champion has his opponent up against the ropes.(informal) If you say that someone or something is on the ropes, you mean that they are doing badly and are likely to fail.When the new teacher arrived I spent a day showing/teaching her the ropes (= explaining the job, etc. to her).Our new recruits all go on a six-week training course to learn the ropes (= learn the job).