Origin of Phrases - K
Know the Ropes
Generations ago, ships' masters knew that someone fresh from land was little help at first. A full-rigged vessel had a seemingly insoluble tangle of ropes with which to set sail and it took time and help to learn how to handle them. It took a lot of experience in all types of weather to know how to handle the ropes. The expression expanded from there to any experienced person in any area of activity.