rope-a-dope
Strategic defensive absorbing
Rope-a-dope is a boxing strategy of leaning against the ropes and absorbing an opponent's punches while conserving energy, waiting for them to tire before counterattacking.
Muhammad Ali famously used it against George Foreman in 1974.
The term now applies to any situation where someone absorbs punishment while waiting for the right moment to strike back: The candidate played rope-a-dope, letting his opponent exhaust his attacks before responding.
Deceptive mock attack
- counterpunchRetaliatory boxing blow
- defenseProtection against harm
- absorptionProcess of taking in
- enduranceSustained effort capacity
stamina · resilience · patience · fatigue · recovery · tactics · deception · outwit
Arabic name, "sublime"
- ringClosed curve shape
- glovesHand coverings with fingers
- heavyweightHighest combat weight class
- canvasHeavy woven cloth
rounds · bell · bout · knockout · punch · jab · hook · uppercut
Governmental power struggles
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- underdogPresumed loser beforehand
- comebackRecovery after decline
- reversalComplete change of direction
misdirection · attrition · long game · biding time · turnaround · outlast
feint
Deceptive mock attack
- counterpunchRetaliatory boxing blow
- defenseProtection against harm
- absorptionProcess of taking in
endurance · stamina · resilience · patience · fatigue · recovery · tactics · deception · outwit · psychology
Ali
Arabic name, "sublime"
- ringClosed curve shape
- glovesHand coverings with fingers
- heavyweightHighest combat weight class
canvas · rounds · bell · bout · knockout · punch · jab · hook · uppercut · clinch
politics
Governmental power struggles
- negotiationDiscussion seeking mutual accord
- underdogPresumed loser beforehand
- comebackRecovery after decline
reversal · misdirection · attrition · long game · biding time · turnaround · outlast
- boxingjab, uppercut, hook, punch, knockout
- fight tacticsfootwork, feints, combinations, timing, distance control
- Muhammad Alifloat like a butterfly, sting like a bee, heavyweight title, Joe Frazier, George Foreman
- boxing stylesorthodox, southpaw, swarmer, slugger, counterpuncher
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
- punchesjab, uppercut, haymaker, left hook, right hook
rope-a-dopeblitzkrieg
Fast, overwhelming military campaign
full-court press · shock and awe · frontal assault · swarming · rushing
rope, dope, ropes, roped, roping, dopes, doping, ropemaker, roper