HE KNOWS THE ROPES
WHEN WE SAY THAT SOMEONE KNOWS THE ROPES WE INFER THAT HE KNOWS
HIS WAY AROUND AT SEA AND IS QUITE CAPABLE OF HANDLING MOST
NAUTICAL PROBLEMS. THROUGH THE YEARS THE PHRASE‘S MEANING HAS
CHANGED SOMEWHAT. ORIGINALLY, THE STATEMENT WAS PRINTED ON A
SEAMAN’S DISCHARGE TO INDICATE THAT HE KNEW THE NAMES AND
PRIMARY USES OF THE MAIN ROPES ONBOARD SHIP. IN OTHER WORDS, "THIS
MAN IS A NOVICE SEAMAN AND KNOWS ONLY THE BASICS OF
SEAMANSHIP.”