1Boxing Forced against the ropes by the opponent's attack.
‘It's the first round and Jackie's been on the ropes twice.’
‘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.’
1.1In state of near collapse or defeat.
‘behind the apparent success the company was on the ropes’
‘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.’
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