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What is the origin of the expression found himself at the end of his rope?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
"Found himself at the end of his rope" meaning a person has come to the end of a struggle or situation of some sort comes from the practice a hanging a condemned man. When the noose is around the man's neck and he drops through the trap door he soon finds himself at the end of his rope when his fall comes to an abrupt end.
--I had actually heard that it came from the practice of tethering animals, and is interchangable with the phrase 'end of one's tether'. Much like a dog that tries to run across the yard only to get jerked short when the leash or chain reaches no further, a person at the end of their rope will be out of anywhere to go.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What is the origin of the phrase give him enough rope and he will hang himself?
it means that to catch a criminal (and presumably have him hanged), the surest way is to let him betray himself or be caught in the act by affording him greater leeway/opportunity (as in a slacking rope)
What is the collective noun for ropes?
There is no specific collective noun for ropes, in which case, use a collective noun suitable for the situation, for example an array of ropes, reels of ropes, a tangle of ropes, etc. Some collective nouns for the singular, rope, are a length of rope or a coil of rope. The noun rope itself is used as a collective noun for a rope of pearls and a rope of onions.
What is the origin of the phrase you'd complain if you were hung with a new rope?
My mom used to say this a lot in the 60's. I thought it must be because new ropes would be scratchy on your neck - a problem that wouldn't be worth complaining about for very long. My father used to use the phrase as early as the 1950s. I have the impression that it is older than that. I also have the impression that it may come from the Great Depresssion and was a reference to profligately using new material when old would serve. Of course, one being hanged could not reasonably worry about such things. My mother said the same and I couldn't figure it out until I stumbled upon it in a book. According to some medievil law, every man had the right to be hanged with a new rope. Cloister and the Hearth by Charles Reade takes place in the 15th century where the new rope law was in effect in a certain village. A problem arose when a woman murdered a man. She was released without punishment because the punishment for murder was hanging by a new rope. She was freed because as a woman she was worth less than a new rope. A new rope would be a strong rope and the objective of hanging as a punishment was death and not torture. A good strong rope meant that when the weight of the body was released, it would snap the neck instantly. Thus, the expression essentially means you'd be complaining even after you were dead. An old rope would have some give to it and might not produce instant death, but rather a slow, painful, lingering death. Hence the medieval 'right' to a new rope. The condemned wanted to die quickly. i herd it was because a new rope was less prone to breaking. if you got hung with an old rope, the rope might break, instead of your neck. i see it as youd complain and argue, even down to things so trivial, such as the slimmest chance of an older rope breaking vs the chance of a new one breaking Actually, from the explanation given me as a child, the previous answers simply don't quite explain the expression in full. New hemp rope is rougher and scratchier against the skin than older or used rope. This property is the key to the saying. My parents always told me that the saying is just a cute or satirical way of chastising people who tend to always complain about even the most trivial things---regardless of the situation--thus the irony of complaining about the roughness of new rope against the skin when one should be really worrying about the much more important matter of being executed.
Where did the word junkie come from?
"Junkie" originally meant a heroin addict, but its meaning has since been expanded to include any kind of addict. The word comes from the slang word "junk" for heroin, which was slang in the 1960s. The word "junk" means a broken or discarded item, especially one for which a use can be found, and derives from an old sailors' term for old rope, in use at the time of Columbus. Old bits of rope were no use as rope any more, but sailors found a number of other uses for them.
What is a rope that hangs someone?
A rope that hangs a person is called a noose.
What is the origin of the phrase give him enough rope and he will hang himself?
it means that to catch a criminal (and presumably have him hanged), the surest way is to let him betray himself or be caught in the act by affording him greater leeway/opportunity (as in a slacking rope)
What does the expression go pound sand?
"Pound sand" = a colloquial expression meaning engage in a futile activity.Similar to "push on a rope".
Where does the expression money for old rope come from?
boat yards would buy old rope cut it and place it between the deck boards before painting
What is the Japanese rope?
If you're referring to the braided rope found at sacred sites such as Shinto shrines, this rope is called 'shimenawa.'
What is the meaning of idiomatic expression I'm at the end of my rope?
It means "I can't take any more."
Where is that found in the bible about rope around waist?
its not found in the bible
Where the rope is for the Indian in fantage?
I found the rope on mt. fantage, do u know where the hammer is on fantage?
Is the expression jumping rope correct or should it be jump roping?
both are probably correct but I'm not sure
What origin is the word junk?
Late Middle English, from a word denoting an old, inferior rope.
How can a mountain climber test a rope to be sure it will support him as the climbs the mountain?
The climber can test it by first securing himself otherwise, then applying all of his weight to the rope.
Where can the rope be found in the game diamond rush?
check richmond
What is the language of origin for junk?
Junk, meaning 'worthless stuff' is a nautical term for old cable or rope. The origin is uncertain but appears in the early 1300's with French and Latin connections
