devil's rope
The term "devil's rope" has rich historical and cultural significance, primarily referring to barbed wire, but also to a type of cactus and metaphorical barriers.
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Definition
B2History
(slang, informal)A type of fencing wire with sharp points, historically used to enclose land and restrict movement, notably impacting the American West.
Example
- Barbed wire, often called devil's rope, transformed the open ranges into fenced territories.
C1Botany
(technical)A cactus species with cylindrical joints and sharp spines, scientifically known as Cylindropuntia imbricata.
Example
- The Cylindropuntia imbricata, or devil's rope, is common in arid regions.
B2Metaphorical
(colloquial)Used to describe something that acts as a barrier or obstacle, often with negative implications.
Example
- For many, the bureaucratic red tape was a devil's rope, hindering progress.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "devil's rope":
devil's paintbrushdevil's nettledevil's cottondevil's fingerdevil's clawdevil's walking stickrattlesnake weeddevil's bit