Brewer's: Rope-walk

[barristers' slang]. Old Bailey practice. Thus, “Gone into the rope-walk” means, he has taken up practice in the Old Bailey. (See Ropes.)

The ways of London low life are called “ropes” and to know the ropes means to be au fait with the fait of all sorts of dodges. (See Ropes.)

Related Content Allusions Foreign Words and Phrases Latin and Greek Word Elements Names: Their Origins and Meanings Old Testament Names Mythology Ancient Greek Literature & Mythology The Bible (King James version) The Koran (translation by J. M. Rodwell) Shakespeare's Plays Tales from Shakespeare (Charles and Mary Lamb) Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language