Dictionary

rope-ripe en · ADJ

Etymology

From rope + ripe.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Of a person: deserving of being hanged.
   • Sometymes our coyne, could stop a gappe, / And purchace pardon by a traine: / But gallows lucke, and ropripe happe, / At length was gwerdon for our paine. 1579, Thomas Churchyard, “A Pirates Tragedie”, in A General Rehearsall of Warres, called Churchyard's Choise:
   • As we argued already, Shakespeare's representation of the rope-ripe shrew likely was inspired by abundant accounts of the well-hanged and well-hung shrewmouse. 2016, J. A. Shea, Paul Yachnin, “The Well-Hung Shrew”, in Lynne Bruckner, Dan Brayton, editors, Ecocritical Shakespeare, →ISBN, page 120:
2. (obsolete) Of an action: punishable by being hanged.
   • Lord, hovv you roule in your rope-ripe termes. 1611, George Chapman, May-Day. A Witty Comedie, […], London: […] [William Stansby] for Iohn Brown, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 29:
   • Therefore the reporting of our tale, may ſone appere plain if we firſt expreſſe our minde in plaine words, and not ſeeke theſe roperipe termes, which betraie rather a foole, then commende a wiſe man[…] 1553, Thomas Wilson, The Arte of Rhetorique, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1909, page 107:

Forms

Synonyms

gallows-ripe · hangworthy