phrase

• 1Boxing
  Forced against the ropes by the opponent's attack.

  ‘It's the first round and Jackie's been on the ropes twice.’

  More example sentences

  • ‘He is moving better and not laying on the ropes at all.’
  • ‘Bogie came out swinging, trying to put Dino on the ropes and Dino responds with a flurry of his own.’

  1. 1.1In state of near collapse or defeat.
     ‘behind the apparent success the company was on the ropes’
     More example sentences

     • ‘The US is on the ropes because investment is collapsing, profits are imploding and share prices cascading.’
     • ‘Similarly, it's unwise, in my opinion, to offer false promises to an enemy who's trying to make a deal with you and is already on the ropes, if you can defeat him by straight-forward play.’
     • ‘The once-dazzling market is on the ropes as the bear market, fierce competition - and hubris - take their toll’
     • ‘The company's image was one of a business on the ropes.’
     • ‘Indeed, when a country is on the ropes, the markets respond to every move by the fundamentalists in precisely the opposite way to that expected by them.’
     • ‘Agriculture Canada claims it has the U.S. on the ropes.’
     • ‘‘Democrats really feel they have him on the ropes,’ notes one business lobbyist.’
     • ‘It's definitely been pushing up the expense to make games, but it's been good for a record industry that's still very much on the ropes.’
     • ‘With consumer prices on the ropes, bargains abound at the grocery.’
     • ‘This was Ed on the ropes, and we were beginning to feel sorry for him.’
     • ‘With PC sales and corporate investment in a slump, we know they're on the ropes and in deep denial.’