roper
n. countablen. a person who uses a rope to catch animals, like a cowboy at a rodeo. It can also mean someone who tricks people into a dishonest game or business deal.
n. an individual skilled in the use of a lasso or rope, typically in a ranching or rodeo context. In a criminal or gambling context, refers to a person who lures victims into a confidence game or swindle.
The roper caught the calf quickly during the competition.
The police identified the roper who was responsible for bringing unsuspecting tourists into the illegal gambling den.
While the lead roper demonstrated exceptional precision in the arena, his historical counterparts often relied on these same skills for the more mundane tasks of managing semi-wild cattle across open ranges.
In its slang sense, it is often synonymous with 'shill' or 'steerer' in the context of organized fraud.