on the rope是普通短语,无延伸意义,按原句翻译为“拽住绳子,用绳子连着.”
具有延伸含义的是on the ropes,rope后加s
意思是岌岌可危,做的不好,濒临失败（英文字典解释为doing badly and likely to fail）
例句 His political career is on the ropes.
意即,他的政治生涯岌岌可危,难以支撑下去.