showing someone the ropes
Teaching the basics
Teaching someone the basics of a job, skill, or situation.
The phrase comes from sailing, where new sailors had to learn which ropes controlled which sails.
Now it applies to any kind of orientation or training: My first week, Sarah showed me the ropes.
Once someone shows you the ropes, it's not that complicated.
- mentoringAdvising someone less experienced
- one on oneDirect between two
- onboardingNew member integration process
- new hireRecently employed staff member
- first dayInitial day of something
acclimation · hands-on learning · on the job · learning the ropes · guiding · apprenticeship · coaching · buddy system · shadowing · skill-building · orientation · advising · modeling · know-how · tutoring · internship · educating · passing the torch
showing someone the ropestrial by fire
Test through difficult experience
baptism by fire · sink or swim · throwing to the wolves · abandoning · hanging out to dry
showing someone the ropesgatekeeping
Controlling access to something
keeping secrets · stonewalling · obscuring · obfuscating · mystifying
showing someone the ropessabotaging
Deliberately undermining or destroying
undermining · misleading · leading astray · hazing · misdirecting
showed, showing, shower, showily, someone, somebody, something, sometime, somewhere