Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Resembling a rope or ropes.
- adjective Forming sticky glutinous strings or threads, as some liquids.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Resembling a rope or cord; cord-like.
- Capable of being drawn into a thread, as a glutinous substance; stringy; viscous; tenacious; glutinous: as, ropy wine; ropy lees.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective capable of being drawn into a thread, as a glutinous substance; stringy; viscous; tenacious; glutinous.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Resembling a
rope . - adjective Capable of forming rope-like or
thread -like structures. - adjective UK, colloquial Of poor quality; in poor health.
- adjective
Slimy , as after the action of Enterobacter aerogenes insyrup .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective (British informal) very poor in quality
- adjective forming viscous or glutinous threads
- adjective of or resembling rope (or ropes) in being long and strong
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Shaking a cocktail produces a silky texture, often called a ropy texture.
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Note the "ropy" character of the half-frozen rock on the sides of the nearest rivulet of the lava.
Outlines of the Earth's History A Popular Study in Physiography Nathaniel Southgate Shaler 1873
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Cook until mixture forms thick, "ropy" threads that drip from the spoon.
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Cook until mixture forms thick, "ropy" threads that drip from the spoon.
Sedalia Democrat : News Democrat staff 2010
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"ropy," butter "oily" and "rancid," &c. Cheese in its numerous forms contains myriads of bacteria, and some of these are now known to be concerned in the various processes of ripening and other changes affecting the product, and although little is known as to the exact part played by any species, practical applications of the discoveries of the decade
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 2 "Baconthorpe" to "Bankruptcy" Various
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Meltwaters had formed ropy lines of ice, and on that rumpled ice stood warriors.
GuildWars Edge of Destiny J. Robert King 2011
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He was sharp-featured and thin but ropy with muscle.
Starcraft II: Devils’ Due Christie Golden 2011
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Claire had strong ropy arms and legs, veins and tendons showing in her feet, in her forearms and hands.
So Much Pretty Cara Hoffman 2011
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At its center hulked a tormented volcano of ropy black stone.
GuildWars Edge of Destiny J. Robert King 2011
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The ropy black stone was teeming with destroyers—their insectoid figures steaming as they cooled.
GuildWars Edge of Destiny J. Robert King 2011
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