roper
(ˈrəʊpə(r))
[f. rope n.1 + -er1. Cf. MDu. reeper, MLG. reper.]
1. a. One who makes ropes; a rope-maker.
| 1226 in J. T. Gilbert Hist. & Munic. Doc. Irel. (Rolls) 82 Philippus le ropere. 1321–2 Rolls of Parlt. I. 391/2 Pur les custages de VI Ropers alauntz de Brideport. 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. v. 166 A Ropere, a Redyng-kyng and Rose þe disschere. a 1450 Knt. de la Tour (1868) 79 An ensaumple of a ropers wiff that was not trew in kepinge of her mariage. 1497 Naval Acc. Hen. VII (1896) 185 Payed..Willyam Ellyott & Edmond White Ropers of Lynne for an hawser. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 14 Smithes, ropers, shypwrightes..and other..handy craftes men. 1586 J. Ferne Blaz. Gentrie 21 Valentinian, the sonne of a roper, possessed the Romane Empire. 1622 Relat. Plantation Plymouth. New Eng. 8 Having a noose as artificially made, as any Roper in England can make. 1688 Holme Armoury iii. 113/1 Yarn spun by the Roper. 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine, Cordier, a rope-maker, or roper. 1802 Naval Chron. VIII. 258 The..ropers, riggers, and riggers' labourers. 1860 Macm. Mag. I. 226 To begin a..discourse with him, and then walk backwards, like a roper. |
† b. John Roper's window, a rope-noose. Obs.
| 1552 Huloet s.v., Restio is he that loketh in at John ropers window, by translation, he that hangeth him selfe. |
† c. One who deserves the rope. Obs.
| 1615 Thomas Dict., A Roper or an vngracious fellow, nequam. |
2. One who secures bales, etc., with a rope.
| 1850 Ogilvie Imperial Dict. |
3. Racing. A jockey who prevents a horse from winning by holding it in; one who intentionally loses any race by similar methods.
| 1870 Daily News 31 Jan., Stick to his post he must,..unless ‘the ropers’ are to have it all their own way in the Spring Handicaps. 1876 Besant & Rice Gold. Butterfly xxxiii, He would go back to the old courses and become a Roper. 1887 Cyclist 14 Sept. 1203/2 The difficulty of establishing a case against a persistent ‘roper’ is very much greater in cycling. |
4. chiefly U.S. One who uses a lasso.
| 1808 Pike Sources Mississ. (1810) 160 Taking the wild horses, in that manner, is scarcely ever attempted, even with the fleetest horses, and most expert ropers. 1888 Cent. Mag. Feb. 506 A really first-class roper can command his own price. 1964 C. Willock Enormous Zoo v. 92 At last her head was coming within range of the ropers. 1976 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 5 July 1-c/1 At Sunday's performance, cowboys in the calf roping event were the stars as each of the last five ropers managed to conquer Mike Cervi's rowdy black calfs to place in the money. |
5. A gambling-house decoy. Also roper-in.
| 1840 Picayune (New Orleans) 31 Oct. 2/3 He had not well landed on the Levee, so famous for cotton bags, sugar,..‘ropers in’, and other ‘dry goods’. 1844 J. H. Greene Expos. Arts Gambling (ed. 2) 158 Those secret partners, by gamblers, are termed ropers, or stool-pigeons: their business is to delude the inexperienced into their dens of iniquity. 1859 in Bartlett Dict. Amer. (ed. 2) 371 A young man at his hotel, who turned out to be a roper in of a gambling house. 1875 E. King Southern States v. 61 The ropers for gambling-houses..haunt each conspicuous corner. |