Anonymous wrote:this thread has been revealing. I had no idea people didnt know what this phrase meant!

But all these different interpretations boil down to the same meaning for how to handle a difficult relationship; people are just envisioning literal uses of rope differently when guessing the origin of the phrase. People can use it correctly without understanding the etymology.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a lower class aphorism.

What are some upper class aphorisms?

"Fire the Governess" ?

this thread has been revealing. I had no idea people didnt know what this phrase meant!

I do think it’s a tug of war reference. But not that you are surrendering, instead that you are refusing to engage in the back and forth in the first place.

No. Tug of war. Both sides pulling hard, leaning back. One side drops the rope. Other side falls on their butts.

"Homie don't play that game" is close.

Anonymous wrote:So "drop the rope" and "cut the cord" have the same meaning?

No. Not at all.

I’m surprised people understand this so differently than I do. I understand it as the rope in tug of war. Dropping the rope is refusing to engage in a power struggle.

You can “drop the rope” when it comes to arguing with your husband about him not doing enough chores, and that may mean you stop trying to get him to see it your way. Stop trying to prove you do more. Just do what you are going to do and don’t do what you shouldn’t have to do.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought it meant “let go of any connection to this person,” as in, stop putting any effort into the relationship because it’s not worth it.

yes, its a cut the connection thing

No, it's not. It means stop pulling. Like in tug of war. What happens if you're playing tug of war and no one is winning, but then one person drops the rope?

This is not a confusing saying. I'm shocked so many people don't understand. I'm autistic and I understand this one.

So "drop the rope" and "cut the cord" have the same meaning?

Anonymous wrote:I thought it meant “let go of any connection to this person,” as in, stop putting any effort into the relationship because it’s not worth it.

yes, its a cut the connection thing