on the ropes
Meaning: Close to defeat or collapse.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “After two bad seasons, the club is on the ropes.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: From boxing, where a fighter driven back against the ropes of the ring is nearly beaten. The figurative use is common from the early 20th century.
Equivalents in other languages
- Italian: alle corde — literally: at the ropes
More idioms — Daily Life
- move with the times — To keep up with change instead of clinging to old ways.
- beat the drum for something — To promote something loudly and publicly.
- any old how — Carelessly, with no attention to doing it properly.
- without a fight — With no resistance at all.
- pave the way — To prepare the ground so that something can happen later.
- catch someone off guard — To surprise someone who is not prepared.
More English idioms
- hit rock bottom — To reach the lowest possible point.
- work one's fingers to the bone — To work extremely hard.
- watch one's back — To stay alert to hidden threats.
- set someone's heart racing — To excite or alarm someone.
- forget one's own head — To be extremely forgetful.
- take to one's heels — To run away.
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