to rope one in
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To get him to take part in some scheme, enterprise, etc. An expression from the western states of America, where horses and cattle are roped in with a lasso.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to rope one in” mean?
To get him to take part in some scheme, enterprise, etc. An expression from the western states of America, where horses and cattle are roped in with a lasso.
Is “to rope one in” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.