Learn the ropes: Where did the phrase come from?

Phrases, idioms, and theories are part of our everyday conversations. Have you ever wondered where these phrases originated from?

Phrase: Learn the ropes
The meaning: Learning how to do something

The story:
This shipping-related expression seems to have originated in the 17th century.

In those days, sailors had to learn how to tie knots and handle ropes that were attached to the sails in order to sail.

A sailor who was learning all this was said to be 'learning the ropes'.

Lightbulb: Where did Captain Jack Sparrow learn the ropes to be a pirate?

WordCrawler by Deepak Gawas
Background score: Pirates of the Caribbean

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