Dictionary

throw someone a rope en · VERB

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) To rescue someone by providing them with help, such as material aid, financial aid, a face-saving excuse, or a clue.
   • 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 2011, Gillian Welch, “The Way It Will Be”, in The Harrow & the Harvest, performed by Gillian Welch and David Rawlings:
   • 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
2. 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.
   • He's out there fighting the riptide. We need to throw him a rope.

Forms

Coordinates

give someone a break · throw someone a bone

Relateds

lifesaver · life buoy · give someone enough rope

Synonyms

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