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.

Related

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

Opposites
guidance and support

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

knowledge transfer direction

showing someone the ropesgatekeeping

Controlling access to something

keeping secrets · stonewalling · obscuring · obfuscating · mystifying

intent toward the learner

showing someone the ropessabotaging

Deliberately undermining or destroying

undermining · misleading · leading astray · hazing · misdirecting

Family

showed, showing, shower, showily, someone, somebody, something, sometime, somewhere

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Positive · Everyday, not technical · Rated G