Definition

Noun: A painful skin abrasion, typically on the hands or another body part, caused by the friction of a rope sliding quickly through the grasp or against the skin.

Usage

This term is used to describe a specific type of minor injury. It is most commonly associated with activities involving ropes, such as climbing, sailing, tug-of-war, or playground activities. * You can get a rope burn. * You can have a rope burn. * The injury itself is a rope burn.

Examples

• The sailor got a nasty rope burn on his palm when the line slipped through his hands.
• After the tug-of-war competition, several players were nursing rope burns.
• A common childhood injury from sliding down a rope is a rope burn.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically to describe a harsh or painful experience, though this is less common.
  • The difficult negotiations were a political rope burn for the new administration.

Variants and Related Words

• Friction burn (n): A more general term for an abrasion caused by something rubbing against the skin. A rope burn is a type of friction burn.
• Abrasion (n): The technical medical term for a scraped area on the skin.

Synonyms

• Friction burn
• Abrasion (in this specific context)
• Chafe

Related Phrases

• To burn (someone) with a rope: Describes the action causing the injury.
  • The fast-moving rope burned his hands.

Noun

1. abrasion (usually on the hands) caused by friction from a rope