What does it mean when a person tells you "can't wait to show you the ropes".I know it does not mean literally ''ropes'' but I don't really understand that metaphore. I'm guessing it means "i can't wait to fill you in/tell you all about it ... but that's just a guess. Does anybody know the real meaning behind it and do people still use it (a lot)?
2006-10-25 18:06:42 · 12 answers · asked by cassie86 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
A metaphor is a comparison between two seemingly unsimiliar things (without using the words like or as). What you described is an idiom. An idiom is a common expression that is shared in certain areas.
"can't wait to show you the ropes" means: I can't wait to show you around. Or it means I can't wait to show you how stuff is operated/run around here.
Another example of an idiom is "beat around the bush"...This means that your not facing the problem bluntly.
People use idioms all the time.
2006-10-25 18:15:40 · answer #1 · answered by Sandi 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Think of how complicated all the ropes are on a fully-rigged sailing ship. It could have about 40 different sails on 5 masts and 2 spars, and when the officer of the watch shouted "reef in the mizzen topgallant sail 2 points" you had to know which rope would do that. So a new crew member had to be "shown the ropes" by an older one who knew. There were a lot more sailors in those days, making it easy for the phrase to start being used generally on land.
2006-10-26 03:01:56 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
It means that someone wants to show you how things operate; either in a small microcosm of the whole scheme or maybe the whole scheme itself.
It means that someone wants to "take you under their wing", that is , be your mentor and familiarise you with the workings at work, school, in sports or whatever.
I suspect it came from the old days ol sail, when each line(rope) had a specific purpose and use. When you went on board a new ship, one of the older sailors would "show you the ropes", so you wouldn't screw up on your new job.
2006-10-25 18:21:48 · answer #3 · answered by Donald G 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Metaphor is the concept of understanding one thing in terms of another. A metaphor is a figure of speech that constructs an analogy between two things or ideas.
2016-05-22 14:51:27 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means to teach you or fill you in on the details. I think it came from the Boxing world- literally the ropes of the ring.
2006-10-25 18:13:47 · answer #5 · answered by JUDY G 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it is a metaphor from sailing in the old days, a new sailor was literally "shown the ropes", and it means to break in a new person, usually on the job
2006-10-25 18:20:06 · answer #6 · answered by metallhd62 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe it is an old saying, dating back to the time of sailing ships when new crew members had to be taught 'the ropes' of unfurling the sails.
Today it is used to explain the process of instructing people on how to do their job or new tasks.
2006-10-25 18:11:44 · answer #7 · answered by kitty-mama 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
can't wait to show you the ropes means , how the business is run and how to deal with everything going on, so it goes smoothly for you.
2006-10-25 18:12:28 · answer #8 · answered by recyclingmamma@sbcglobal.net 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
"..show you the ropes.." Means fill you in on how things work, or give you info on a system that may be unfamiliar to you.
2006-10-25 18:10:57 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Show you how things work in the particular place they are in (like at a job or somewhere). Yeah some poeple still use it.
2006-10-25 18:10:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋