We have tried to gather and define all rope bondage-related words we could think of in order to make you journey into the rope world easier and more accessible. If there’s something we missed, let us know!
During our events we try to use as clear and accessible language as possible, but some technical terminology is unavoidable. We do not expect you to know the meaning of all (or any) of the following terms, but we hope this might be a useful resource when out and about on the rope scene.
Active bottoming – practice where the person in ropes engages their muscles and moves in order to change the weight distribution of a tie, or to protect their body in a tie. For example, engaging core muscles to protect the spine in a backbend. Depending on personal definitions, can also mean active communication within a scene, such as suggesting changes and what might happen next.
Agura – Japanese term for a cross-legged sitting position, and a variety of harnesses which create this position.
Bight – middle of the rope. You will usually tie with your rope folded in half, starting with the bight.
Boola-boola – a way to tie off a single column tie. One of many options for doing so.
Bottom – person being tied.
Box tie – a position where the hands are positioned behind the back, usually with elbows bent at 90° or more, and a variety of harnesses which create this position.
Bunny – see: bottom, some find this term offensive, some like it. Mostly used within the UK.
Breaking in rope – the process of running new rope through a carabiner or eye bolt in order to soften it.
Cinch – part of the rope harness which pulls the wraps together, usually near the armpit or through a bent leg, in order to stop the harness slipping off the body.
Collapse (a knot) – to cause a knot to become unstable and move out of it’s intended placement and form.
Conditioning rope – the process of applying oil and/or wax to natural fibre rope in order to moisturise it, thus making it softer and protecting it from wear.
Consent – voluntary, free and informed agreement to something.
Crab tie – a position where the right forearm is tied to the tight calf and left forearm to the left calf.
Cupcake tie – wraps placed around the base of the breast.
Daisy chain – a method of storing rope by forming it into a series of loops. Often advised against as it adds stress to the rope which can deform it over time.
Debrief – a conversation after the end of a scene, where all participants share feedback. This helps to grow and improve both the play relationship between the participants and the participants’ skills in general. Things to mention include what you enjoyed, what you didn’t enjoy so much, what you might like more or less of in the future, and any suggestions for changes or alterations.
Double column tie – a wrap which goes around two columns of the body, for example two wrists, two thighs, wrist and ankle, arm and torso, with a cinch in the middle to make it more secure, thus creating a figure 8 shape.
Dressing the wraps – adjusting the rope on the body to fix any twists, gaps, or uneven tension. Often achieved by running a finger underneath the wraps.
Drop (sub drop/top drop) – a period of low mood which can occur after a tie, anytime from immediately after it’s finished to a few days after.
Ebi – see: shrimp tie
Floor work – a rope scene or tie which takes place on the floor, with no suspension involved.
Flyline – see: suspension line, mostly used around Oxford, UK.
Friction – a way to add stability to a rope tie and isolate tensions. There are many different friction types and they are used much more commonly in rope bondage than knots.
Full stop – a 360° wrap around a rope or ropes already on the body.
Furoshiki – large, square Japanese wrapping cloth. In rope bondage, often used to protect and transport ropes and related kit.
Futo – anglicised abbreviation of futomomo.
Futomomo – Japanese term for position where a leg is bent, with the foot being brought as close to the buttock as possible, and a variety of harnesses which create this position.
Gote – see: box tie
Granny knot – a knot created by tying an overhand knot over an overhand knot. Strand 1 goes underneath strand 2 for the first overhand, and strand 1 goes over strand 2 for the second overhand. This superficially resembles the square knot but it’s much weaker and less stable.
Gunslinger – asymmetrical rope harness with wraps around the hips and one thigh.
Gyaku ebi – a suspension position where the body of the person in rope is bent backwards.
Half hitch – a friction used to secure rope and/or change direction in the tie. The working end is looped in a ⍺ shape around an existing straight line.
Half-moon friction – a friction used to secure ropes which meet in a + shape. The friction itself goes around the crossing point, under either the horizontal or vertical lines and over the other ones, creating a ( ) shape.
High-stranding – a damage which can occur to rope during use, identified by uneven tension between the three strands of which the rope is made up of. This can sometimes be fixed by carefully massaging the strands into their correct placements.
Hishi – Japanese term for a diamond shape. In rope bondage, used to refer to ties in which ropes form diamonds on the body.
Hogtie – a position where all four limbs are tied together behind the back.
Hojo cuff – a method of creating a single column in the middle of the rope, where a wrap is finished with a friction instead of a knot or bowline.
Hojojutsu – Japanese martial art focused on quick capture and restraint using rope. Dates back to ancient history and features tradition of decorative and aesthetic, as well as practical, tying.
Ichinawa – the practice of tying with only one rope, which might be untied and re-tied continuously in the duration of the scene.
Invert (a knot) – see: collapse
Ipponawa – see: ichinawa
Kannuki – see: cinch
Karada – a full-body harness that covers the torso in a series of diamond shapes.
Kinbaku – Japanese term meaning “tight binding”. In Japan, this would be more commonly associated with rope bondage than shibari, meaning of which is broader. In the west, some people strongly define their style of rope bondage as “shibari” or “kinbaku”, others use these words interchangeably, and others still abstain from using Japanese terminology at all. There isn’t a significant difference between “kinbaku” and “shibari” which can be observed on a wider scale (i.e. beyond a single person’s practice).
Kuri – see: shrimp tie
Lark’s head – a loop formed in the bight of the rope, often used to join two pieces of rope together.
Lay (of rope, loose lay, tight lay) – how hard the individual strands of the rope are twisted together. This also affects the density of the rope. For example, rope with very loose lay might bend very easily but one might accidentally put one’s finger through it, whereas the tightest lay rope can stand up on it’s own but is very hard to damage.
L-friction – a friction used to secure ropes on the body, taking the shape of an L. Often used in pairs – for example, if ropes meet in a T-shape, two L-frictions might be used to secure them, one of which will look like a backwards L.
Main line – the suspension line which is carrying most of the weight of the person in rope.
Model – see: bottom
Munter hitch – a friction used to secure rope and maintain current direction of tying. The working end is wrapped in a の shape around an existing straight line.
No-dome – see: munter hitch
Overhand knot – a basic knot which is weak on it’s own, but which is used to create the square knot or the granny knot. Cross two strands of rope together, and pull one end through the created loop.
Partial suspension – where some of the body weight of the person in rope is supported through the floor, and some through ropes connected to a point above the floor.
RACK – Risk Aware Consensual Kink, a philosophical view some apply to their kink play.
Reef knot – see: square knot
Reverse tension – when a line goes around an existing line, and then doubles back on itself. This can be used to change direction of tying, and to add tension to both lines and create added structure.
Rigger – see: top
Rigging – tying.
Risk profile – what risks you are okay and not okay taking, bearing in mind the potential consequences and the likelihood of them happening. For example, a school teacher might not be comfortable with neck rope which has a 50% chance of leaving marks, whilst a web dev working from home might be happy to accept this risk. An office worker might be happy with a leg tie that has a 1% chance of foot nerve injury, but a ballet dancer might not.
Rope bondage – synonymous with rope play, shibari, kinbaku. The practice of bondage which involves the use of rope to restrict movement, wrap, suspend, or restrain a person, as part of BDSM activities.
Running end – see: working end
Safety shears – tool used to cut ropes in the event of emergency. An essential part of a rope kit which should always be at hand when tying. Most commonly, emergency medical shears are used (sometimes called EMT shears or trauma shears in shops). Basic models are single use and cost under £5, but need to be replaced if used due to the possibility of becoming too dull. More expensive, multi use models exist, such as the Leatherman Raptor shears.
Seiza – Japanese term for the standard formal traditional way of sitting in Japan, kneeling with legs under thighs and buttocks resting on the heels.
Semanawa – Japanese term meaning “torment rope”, often translated as “torture rope” in English.
Shibari – Japanese term meaning to tie. Applies widely, not just to people. In the west, some people strongly define their style of rope bondage as “shibari” or “kinbaku”, others use these words interchangeably, and others still abstain from using Japanese terminology at all. There isn’t a significant difference between “kinbaku” and “shibari” which can be observed on a wider scale (i.e. beyond a single person’s practice).
Shit-bit – a short piece of rope which comes in handy when you almost have enough rope to finish a tie but not quite. Sometimes created by the necessity to cut ropes.
Shrimp tie – a position where the legs are tied in a cross legged sitting position, and the chest is brought down to the legs (or legs up to the chest).
Single column tie – a circular wrap tied off with a knot, typically around a single column of the body, for example wrist, thigh or waist. Can also be used around more than one column.
Somerville bowline – a way to finish a single column tie. One of many options for doing so.
Square knot – a knot created by tying an overhand knot over an overhand knot. Strand 1 goes underneath strand 2 for the first overhand, and again underneath strand 2 for the second overhand. This is a very stable knot, but do not confuse it with the granny knot.
SSC – Safe, Sane, Consensual. A philosophical view some apply to their kink play. It is being gradually replaced by RACK in many kink spaces and personal practices, following the argument that no kink practice can be fully safe and SSC might stifle discussion around risk and risk profiles, and that “sane” might be perceived as ableist.
Stem – the part of the rope harness which connects all, or many, of the wraps together.
Strappado – a position where the arms are behind the back, parallel to one another, with the elbows as close together as possible, and a variety of harnesses which create this position.
Suspension line – the rope used to suspend someone, i.e. attaching the body to the suspension point.
Switch – person who both ties and is tied, either in one session or on different occasions.
Takatekote – see: box tie
Tatami – mats used as flooring in traditional Japanese homes. Made of soft rush straw and rice straw. Popular for rope bondage due to their relative stability whilst maintaining shock absorbency.
Tengu – a position where elbows are bent and wrists are brought up to the shoulders, and a variety of harnesses which create this position.
Tengui – a rectangular Japanese cloth. In rope bondage, often used as a blindfold or gag.
TK – stands for takatekote, see: box tie
Top – person tying.
Trailing end – see: working end
Transition – to change the position of the person in ropes. Most commonly used to refer to moving the person in rope from one position to another while in partial or full suspension.
Treating rope – see: conditioning
Upline – see: suspension line
Working end – the other end of your folded in half rope to the bight. The end you are still working with.
X-friction – a friction used to secure ropes which meet in a T-shape. The friction itself has two ropes crossing at the front, forming an x.
Last updated 11/11/2022