What does throw someone a rope mean?

throw someone a rope

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.98 in modern English

Syllables: throw -some-one a rope
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Meaning

verb

To rescue someone by providing them with help, such as material aid, financial aid, a face-saving excuse, or a clue.

verb

Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: to rescue someone from drowning by tossing a rope for them to grab onto and be dragged to safety.

Example Sentences

"Near-synonyms: save someone's life, save someone's skin, save someone's bacon, pull someone's bacon out of the fire, give someone a hand, lend a hand, bail someone out"
"He's out there making a fool of himself. Someone should throw him a rope."
"Throw me a rope On the rolling tide What did you want it to be? You said it's him or me The way you made it That's the way it will be"
"He's out there fighting the riptide. We need to throw him a rope."

Inflected Forms

throws someone a rope (present, singular) throwing someone a rope (participle, present) threw someone a rope (past) thrown someone a rope (participle, past)

Phrases

give someone enough rope life buoy

Frequently Paired Words

give someone enough rope life buoy lifesaver throw someone a bone give someone a break

Synonyms

save someone's life save someone's skin save someone's bacon pull someone's bacon out of the fire give someone a hand lend a hand bail out